Biography for Larissa Crawford
Larissa Crawford is a published Indigenous, anti-racism, and climate justice researcher, policy advisor, and restorative circle keeper with 15 years of experience. She is the Founder of Future Ancestors Services, a next-generation speakers bureau representing diverse entrepreneurs responding to our most pressing systemic challenges.
Join Larissa as she moderates the Youth Climate Action Panel on Tues Oct 22 at 11am PT/ 2pm ET
Best suited for 8-14+ years old
Speaker Biography:
Larissa Crawford proudly passes on Métis and Jamaican ancestry to her daughter, Zyra, and is a published Indigenous, anti-racism, and climate justice researcher, policy advisor, and restorative circle keeper with over 15 years of experience. Larissa’s lived experience as an Indigenous and Black woman; a survivor of sexual violence and poverty; a person living with chronic pain disabilities and brain damage; having lived in both rural and urban settings; and as a young mother positions her to carry out her responsibilities as a future ancestor with unique insight and consideration.
Larissa graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Development and Communication Studies in June 2018, Summa Cum Laude, with 2-year-old Zyra on her hip and the university’s most prestigious leadership awards on her degree. After experiences such as starting a library in Accra, Ghana, studying international law and volunteering in Istanbul, Turkey, and representing her university at several global United Nations events, Larissa redirected her efforts to home. Larissa worked with the Government of Ontario as an Indigenous Policy Advisor with the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development, and Mines; as an Advisor at the Ontario Anti-Racism Directorate, Ministry of the Solicitor General; as a community mediator and restorative circle keeper with several organizations; and more.
These experiences contributed to and informed Larissa’s expertise in climate policy and research, energy systems and policy, race-based data collection, restorative practice and conflict resolution, and decolonization and Indigenization in the workplace. Through programs such as the CohortX Climate Justice Fellowship, the Action Canada Fellowship, and the Youth Climate Lab FutureXChange Fellowship, the Raven Trust Capital Fireweed Fellowship, and the Students on Ice Arctic Policy Fellowship, Larissa continues developing her capacities to contextualize and learn from Northern Indigenous climate knowledge.
Currently, Larissa is the Founder of Future Ancestors Services, a next-generation speakers bureau, Future Ancestors Services is an industry leader in connecting clients and audiences with diverse entrepreneurs offering speaking and training services. Specializing in community impact, sustainability, Indigenization, disability, and more, the voices they represent are charting futures that inherently respond to our most pressing systemic challenges. Her work with Future Ancestors Services has been most recently honoured with the York University One to Watch Alumni Award; Women of Influence’s ‘Top 25 Women of Influence’; York University’s ‘Top 30 Under 30 Alumni’; and with the Pollution Probe Equity in Sustainability Award.
Beyond her role as a labourer, Larissa is an avid rock climber and native plant enthusiast deeply connected to Kananaskis Country, on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprising Siksika, Piikani and Kainai First Nations), the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda First Nation.
