Welcoming all who wish to connect with Indigenous culture.

People hiking down a forest trail near a stream with rocks and trees.
Indigenous Elder with long gray hair and beard, wearing a gray hoodie, holding a drum in one hand and a mallet in the other, outdoors with blurred houses and trees in the background.

Rise Up Indigenous Wellness is a grassroots organization with a broad, far-reaching vision:  Connection to culture no matter who you are.

Rise Up is Indigenous-led and rooted in programs created by and for Indigenous people.

A group of children and adults hiking in a forest with a waterfall in the background.
Two women standing outdoors in front of a large rock, wearing matching black T-shirts with a woman in a red dress and a long skirt design, smiling at the camera, with a forested hillside and cloudy sky in the background.

How Rise Up Began

Rise Up began with a shared belief: when a young person reaches out for support, they should not have to wait to feel connected, supported, and seen.

Launa Payne, a member of Xa’xtsa First Nation and educator, and Sherrelle Anderson, a member of Saddle Lake Cree Nation and social worker, spent years supporting Indigenous children, youth, and families. Through their work, they continually saw Urban Indigenous youth facing long waitlists and barriers to services when support was needed right away.

Having both grown up away from their home communities, Launa and Sherrelle also understood the importance of connection to culture, community, and land. Their shared passion for land-based healing inspired a vision for something different: a barrier-free organization where Indigenous youth could come as they are, build relationships, connect with culture and the land, and receive support when they need it.

From that vision, Rise Up Indigenous Wellness was born.

Today, land, culture, and relationships remain at the heart of Rise Up. We are honoured to do this work on Secwépemc territory, alongside an incredible circle of staff, Knowledge Keepers, families, and community partners.

Together, we envision healthy, thriving Indigenous children, youth, and families connected through culture, community, and the land.

A group of women drumming by the water, with one woman playing a small handheld percussion instrument and others holding drums, near a rocky shoreline with grass in the foreground.
A dirt trail winds through a dense forest with tall trees and green foliage.

Healing begins with connection.

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Connection to culture.

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Connection to community.

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Connection to the land.

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Healing begins with connection. ᨒ Connection to culture. ᨒ Connection to community. ᨒ Connection to the land. ᨒ

Every child deserves to know where they belong. Every family deserves to feel supported.

Rise Up Indigenous Wellness was born from a simple but powerful purpose: to bridge the gaps in support for Urban Indigenous children, youth, and families. Guided by Indigenous leadership, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers, we create spaces where culture is celebrated, relationships are strengthened, and wellness can flourish.

We believe that healing begins with connection—to culture, to community, to one another, and to the land. Our offerings include Mentorship, Family Supports, Truth and Reconciliation education, Decolonized Food Programs and Land-based Cultural Experiences.

A tall evergreen tree with dark green branches and a brown trunk, with colorful water flowing beneath it, creating a waterfall effect.

Every community is stronger when culture, connection, and the land are at its heart.

Growing together

Rise Up Indigenous Wellness is led by an Indigenous Board and facilitators. Walk alongside us as we journey together toward holistic wellness.

Meet The Team

  • “I learned a lot of details that I was not taught in school, which is so important. From the atmosphere, the welcoming presence and interactive activities, I cannot think of any improvements. This workshop was a great experience.”

    —TRC Workshop participant 2026