Mikayla Phillips

Research Assistant

Hello! My name is Mikayla Phillips. I am Secwépemc, Tsilhqot’in, and Nlaka’pamux, and I am registered under Xatśūll First Nation. I live in Merritt, B.C., and I am in my fourth year of a Bachelor of Arts at Thompson Rivers University, where I study geography, environmental studies, and political studies. Most of my work is focused on flawed environmental policies and regulations, policies relating to Indigenous peoples, government loopholes used to bypass Indigenous rights, and the environmental and social impacts of unsustainable resource extraction and development.
For the past three years, I have worked in Title and Rights, learning about consultation and accommodation, the Indian Act, Section 35, and other policies that affect Indigenous peoples and their governance structures. This work, combined with my studies, has strengthened my commitment to protecting the land and waters while advancing Indigenous governance and decision-making.
My long-term goal is to attend law school and become an Indigenous rights and environmental lawyer. I carry this path with a sense of responsibility to the land, to future generations, and most importantly to my two sons, who remind me every day why this work matters.
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