- Image
We are honoured to welcome Dr. James Makokis as a keynote speaker at Rethinking Community: Diverse Community Voices this October in Kamloops.
A proud Nehiyô (Cree) Two-Spirit physician from Saddle Lake Cree Nation, Dr. Makokis is nationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in Indigenous and transgender health. His practice blends Western medicine with traditional Cree teachings, and his leadership has included serving as the inaugural Medical Director at Shkaabe Makwa—the country’s first Indigenous health centre dedicated to transforming mental health systems. Today, he also teaches as an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta, where he continues to mentor future generations of care providers.
Dr. Makokis rose to prominence alongside his husband Anthony Johnson when the couple won The Amazing Race Canada as “Team Ahkameyimok” (Cree for Never Give Up). Together, they used their platform to challenge stereotypes, celebrate Indigenous identity, and advocate for resilience in the face of adversity.
About the Session: Moderated Q&A – Uniting Conversations
In his keynote session, Dr. Makokis invites audiences into an open dialogue that explores identity, love, resilience, and acceptance. This unique moderated Q&A will shine a light on the journey of a Two-Spirit couple navigating the world together—sharing stories of self-discovery, cultural pride, and the strength of the human spirit.
Drawing on his lived experiences growing up in a segregated community, Dr. Makokis will speak to the challenges of systemic discrimination, the triumphs of advocacy, and the enduring power of cultural knowledge. His reflections combine medical expertise with a call for systemic change, encouraging greater understanding and acceptance of gender and racial diversity in all communities.
This session will also provide a meaningful window into Dr. Makokis’ traditional Cree heritage and his dedication to uplifting Two-Spirit identities. Attendees can expect to leave with not only inspiration, but also practical insights into how inclusivity and compassion can dissolve prejudice and strengthen the bonds of community.
Join the Conversation
October 29–30, 2025
Delta Hotels by Marriott KamloopsDr. Makokis’ keynote promises to be a highlight of the conference—a chance to learn from one of Canada’s leading voices in Indigenous health, diversity, and reconciliation.
- Image
This fall, Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc and the City of Kamloops are honoured to welcome Rohene Bouajram as the opening keynote speaker at Rethinking Community: Diverse Community Voices, October 29–30, 2025 at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Kamloops.
Rohene Bouajram is an award-winning educator and leadership coach whose work inspires individuals and organizations to recognize the power of diverse voices in shaping inclusive communities. With a career grounded in equity, diversity, and inclusion, she has guided institutions, leaders, and changemakers in addressing generational cycles and cultural bias, while embracing the gifts we each bring to community life.
Her keynote, Our Untapped Gifts: Bridging Communities Through What We Carry, will set the tone for two days of courageous dialogue and learning. Rohene invites us to reflect on how ancestral wisdom, cultural intuition, and collective care can become guiding principles for building stronger, more connected communities.
As an advocate and storyteller, Rohene believes that community is not only something we create, but something we carry within us. By valuing lived experiences and amplifying voices that have too often gone unheard, she challenges us to rethink belonging and imagine new possibilities for inclusion. Delegates will leave Rohene’s session inspired to see difference not as division, but as direction—a path forward to more equitable and compassionate ways of living and working together.
About the Conference
Rethinking Community: Diverse Community Voices is a two-day gathering co-hosted by Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc and the City of Kamloops. Held on the ancestral and unceded territory of Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc within Secwépemcúl’ecw, the conference brings together leaders, organizations, and community members to explore equity, diversity, inclusion, cultural safety, and reconciliation.
