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Unbroken: My Fight for Survival, Hope, and Justice for Indigenous Women and Girls
A remarkable work of memoir and investigative journalism focusing on missing and murdered Indigenous women, written by an award-winning Gitxsan journalist who survived life on the streets against all odds.
As a Gitxsan teenager navigating life on the streets, Angela Sterritt wrote in her journal to help her survive and find her place in the world. Now an acclaimed journalist, she writes for major news outlets to push for justice and to light a path for Indigenous women, girls, and survivors. In her brilliant debut, Sterritt shares her memoir alongside investigative reporting into cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada, showing how colonialism and racism led to a society where Sterritt struggled to survive as a young person, and where the lives of Indigenous women and girls are ignored and devalued.
Growing up, Sterritt was steeped in the stories of her ancestors: grandparents who carried bentwood boxes of berries, hunted and trapped, and later fought for rights and title to that land. But as a vulnerable young woman, kicked out of the family home and living on the street, Sterritt inhabited places that, today, are infamous for being communities where women have gone missing or been murdered: Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, and, later on, Northern BC’s Highway of Tears. Sterritt faced darkness: she experienced violence from partners and strangers and saw friends and community members die or go missing. But she navigated the street, group homes, and SROs to finally find her place in journalism and academic excellence at university, relying entirely on her own strength, resilience, and creativity along with the support of her ancestors and community to find her way.
“She could have been me,” Sterritt acknowledges today, and her empathy for victims, survivors, and families drives her present-day investigations into the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women. In the end, Sterritt steps into a place of power, demanding accountability from the media and the public, exposing racism, and showing that there is much work to do on the path towards understanding the truth. But most importantly, she proves that the strength and brilliance of Indigenous women is unbroken, and that together, they can build lives of joy and abundance.
As a Gitxsan teenager navigating life on the streets, Angela Sterritt wrote in her journal to help her survive and find her place in the world. Now an acclaimed journalist, she writes for major news outlets to push for justice and to light a path for Indigenous women, girls, and survivors. In her brilliant debut, Sterritt shares her memoir alongside investigative reporting into cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada, showing how colonialism and racism led to a society where Sterritt struggled to survive as a young person, and where the lives of Indigenous women and girls are ignored and devalued.
Growing up, Sterritt was steeped in the stories of her ancestors: grandparents who carried bentwood boxes of berries, hunted and trapped, and later fought for rights and title to that land. But as a vulnerable young woman, kicked out of the family home and living on the street, Sterritt inhabited places that, today, are infamous for being communities where women have gone missing or been murdered: Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, and, later on, Northern BC’s Highway of Tears. Sterritt faced darkness: she experienced violence from partners and strangers and saw friends and community members die or go missing. But she navigated the street, group homes, and SROs to finally find her place in journalism and academic excellence at university, relying entirely on her own strength, resilience, and creativity along with the support of her ancestors and community to find her way.
“She could have been me,” Sterritt acknowledges today, and her empathy for victims, survivors, and families drives her present-day investigations into the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women. In the end, Sterritt steps into a place of power, demanding accountability from the media and the public, exposing racism, and showing that there is much work to do on the path towards understanding the truth. But most importantly, she proves that the strength and brilliance of Indigenous women is unbroken, and that together, they can build lives of joy and abundance.
295 pages, Hardcover
First published September 27, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
May 30, 2023
An imperative read that humanizes the unfathomable numbers of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit (MMIWG2S) in giving their families and loved ones space to share who these women and girls were and that they mattered.
The author weaves in her own story of survival against seemingly impossible odds and the courage of sharing the truths of her life is very inspiring. Indigenous perspectives have been silenced by systemic racism for far too long and we need to counterbalance now, not to finally just give space to Indigenous storytellers, but to amplify and respect Indigenous perspectives.
While this is a book all settlers should read, it is a difficult read and you will find as the book unfolds that the creation of this genocide against Indigenous women and girls is deeply entrenched in the creation of so-called Canada, the justifications made to steal the land, the racism and dehumanization legislated.
Finally this book is hopeful and beautifully written, part of a shift towards justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in educating about the issues that all of Canada must understand and address, the impacts of ongoing colonialism and lasting systemic racism.
The author weaves in her own story of survival against seemingly impossible odds and the courage of sharing the truths of her life is very inspiring. Indigenous perspectives have been silenced by systemic racism for far too long and we need to counterbalance now, not to finally just give space to Indigenous storytellers, but to amplify and respect Indigenous perspectives.
While this is a book all settlers should read, it is a difficult read and you will find as the book unfolds that the creation of this genocide against Indigenous women and girls is deeply entrenched in the creation of so-called Canada, the justifications made to steal the land, the racism and dehumanization legislated.
Finally this book is hopeful and beautifully written, part of a shift towards justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in educating about the issues that all of Canada must understand and address, the impacts of ongoing colonialism and lasting systemic racism.
November 2, 2023
This was excellent. Devastating. Hopeful. Necessary.
May 16, 2025
Je vais emprunter le review d'une autre personne sur Goodreads qui résume parfaitement ce livre : << This was excellent. Devastating. Hopeful. Necessary. >>
December 5, 2023
This is a (sadly) needed book to underscore the importance of action to stop the genocide of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. How hard it’s been to gain support for that work and how hard families have struggled is absolutely heartbreaking. Angela Sterritt skilfully weaves her own story in with the stories of several other Indigenous women and girls and the families and communities that have fought so hard to find their loved ones and to prevent further losses and harm.
July 7, 2023
Wow, what an incredibly heartbreaking recounting of the injustices that Indigenous peoples still face to this day. The MMIWG in Canada are outstanding and has never met the same level of care, resources and attention of other missing people.
I’m privileged to live in Canada and identify as Caucasian, but for a long time I’ve been disappointed in Canada and their treatment of Indigenous peoples.
Thank you Angela for sharing your own story as well as others. Thank you for continuing to bring light and attention to these heavy topics. These families deserve justice and answers.
I’m privileged to live in Canada and identify as Caucasian, but for a long time I’ve been disappointed in Canada and their treatment of Indigenous peoples.
Thank you Angela for sharing your own story as well as others. Thank you for continuing to bring light and attention to these heavy topics. These families deserve justice and answers.
November 27, 2024
A difficult book to read in the November doldrums and the current political climate. However I learned a ton about the MMIWG
July 14, 2023
This book was a hard read, but i think a very necessary one. Angela tells the stories of not only her traumatic early life, living on the streets, dealing with things no child or young adult should have to, but of countless other Indigenous girls and women - living with generational trauma, abuse, and in so many tragic cases, leading to their deaths.
While work is being done to bring these tragic deaths to light, and fight for justice for these women, so much more work needs to be done. Its disheartening to read that so often, plans to create safer places and systems to prevent the dangers and deaths of these women, especially along the Highway of Tears, have been neglected and pushed aside.I
Highly recommend you read this book to further educate yourself on where things presently stand with regards to justice for Indigenous women and people.
While work is being done to bring these tragic deaths to light, and fight for justice for these women, so much more work needs to be done. Its disheartening to read that so often, plans to create safer places and systems to prevent the dangers and deaths of these women, especially along the Highway of Tears, have been neglected and pushed aside.I
Highly recommend you read this book to further educate yourself on where things presently stand with regards to justice for Indigenous women and people.
September 15, 2024
I thought this book was just okay! I learned a lot and it included some powerful stories. My critique is more around the writing. Going in I thought this was a memoir but it isn’t really written like one. The author mentions parts of her life intertwined with other peoples’ stories which I found confusing. I guess I was expecting a more compelling memoir.
June 4, 2023
This is important for anyone who lives in Canada. Difficult subject matter but important to really understand.
July 11, 2023
in the top 5 of memoirs i’ve read this year. i am always amazed when authors are able to weave together their story with the broader story of their work.
February 8, 2025
An important memoir that includes the nuances of houselessness and the way someone can find themselves there and in care for youth leading to the major problem of MMIWG.
This is part memoir part journalistic writing about the truths of her past and the truths of Canada’s neglect of Indigenous women. It’s easy to see through her book, how easy it is to become a MMIW or G.
It was bravely written, the cover art, which is the author’s own art, fits the cover just perfectly and her writing is impeccable. Through Audibles; the author is also the reader and because she was in radio and TV, she has been trained so the read through of the book is easy to listen to. This is a good roadmap for an Indigenous Woman entering in to journalism.
This is part memoir part journalistic writing about the truths of her past and the truths of Canada’s neglect of Indigenous women. It’s easy to see through her book, how easy it is to become a MMIW or G.
It was bravely written, the cover art, which is the author’s own art, fits the cover just perfectly and her writing is impeccable. Through Audibles; the author is also the reader and because she was in radio and TV, she has been trained so the read through of the book is easy to listen to. This is a good roadmap for an Indigenous Woman entering in to journalism.
September 14, 2023
It is a book that should be required reading for everyone.
Unbroken lies somewhere between memoir and journalism, and is both an investigation into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), and a deeply personal story. Angela Sterritt recounts her adolescence as a young Gitxsan woman who faced the streets and all the dangers that go with them. this book denounces the harsh reality of being an Indigenous woman, the discrimination suffered on a daily basis, the impact of European colonization exercised via land dispossession and assimilation and the traumas that remain.
The statistics in this book are simply edifying. Swipe right to get an idea of some of the key figures stated. Having grown up in Europe, I never learned at school about Canada's past, the history of its "creation". This book has enabled me to learn more about the bloody reality of colonization, the systemic racism that follows, the inability of the justice system to investigate and restore dignity to these MMIWG whom we seem to ignore. to show the families of the victims that they count, that they are heard and deserves justice. the reality is terrifying, and brings us down to earth. It's important to educate ourselves about the lives unjustly lost, about the subisses inculcated, about the insufficient action of the institutions in charge of justice.
to all of you, I urge you to read this deeply moving and compelling testimony and investigation, which sheds light on a reality that has been ignored for too long.
Unbroken lies somewhere between memoir and journalism, and is both an investigation into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), and a deeply personal story. Angela Sterritt recounts her adolescence as a young Gitxsan woman who faced the streets and all the dangers that go with them. this book denounces the harsh reality of being an Indigenous woman, the discrimination suffered on a daily basis, the impact of European colonization exercised via land dispossession and assimilation and the traumas that remain.
The statistics in this book are simply edifying. Swipe right to get an idea of some of the key figures stated. Having grown up in Europe, I never learned at school about Canada's past, the history of its "creation". This book has enabled me to learn more about the bloody reality of colonization, the systemic racism that follows, the inability of the justice system to investigate and restore dignity to these MMIWG whom we seem to ignore. to show the families of the victims that they count, that they are heard and deserves justice. the reality is terrifying, and brings us down to earth. It's important to educate ourselves about the lives unjustly lost, about the subisses inculcated, about the insufficient action of the institutions in charge of justice.
to all of you, I urge you to read this deeply moving and compelling testimony and investigation, which sheds light on a reality that has been ignored for too long.
Read
July 13, 2023First, thank you to Greystone Books for sending me a free review copy of this book for an honest review.
This book is part true crime journalism, part memoir.
The author, indiginous herself, covers stories of the crisis that is murdered and missing indiginous women and girls in Canada, in addition to the many struggles and injustices that the indiginous people of Canada face on a day to day basis. She also interweaves her own story throughout, talking about her cultural background, and the experiences that she lived that helped her to relate to the women whose stories she covers.
The statistics alone will shock you. The stories will break your heart. The mishandling of these cases, and blatant disregard for these women will anger you.
People these days like to say that the rascism of the past doesn't exist anymore, and that we can't rewrite the sins of the past. We have to keep moving forward...But how can that be true when nothing has really changed? The effects of colonialism are still plaguing native peoples. And when native women get little to no media coverage when missing or murdered, and white womens stories are covered every day, how can we say that racism doesn't exist in our modern world?
This book highlights these issues in a heartfelt and passionate way. The author is finding a way to give back voices to those who went ingnored. This book was written with strength and power and grace. I think it gives people the opportunity to educate themselves on a subject that, astonishingly, most people are unaware of.
I very much enjoyed and appreciated this book. I have known about the MMIWG crisis for a few years now, but I have learned so much for this book. I highly recommend everyone read it.
This book is part true crime journalism, part memoir.
The author, indiginous herself, covers stories of the crisis that is murdered and missing indiginous women and girls in Canada, in addition to the many struggles and injustices that the indiginous people of Canada face on a day to day basis. She also interweaves her own story throughout, talking about her cultural background, and the experiences that she lived that helped her to relate to the women whose stories she covers.
The statistics alone will shock you. The stories will break your heart. The mishandling of these cases, and blatant disregard for these women will anger you.
People these days like to say that the rascism of the past doesn't exist anymore, and that we can't rewrite the sins of the past. We have to keep moving forward...But how can that be true when nothing has really changed? The effects of colonialism are still plaguing native peoples. And when native women get little to no media coverage when missing or murdered, and white womens stories are covered every day, how can we say that racism doesn't exist in our modern world?
This book highlights these issues in a heartfelt and passionate way. The author is finding a way to give back voices to those who went ingnored. This book was written with strength and power and grace. I think it gives people the opportunity to educate themselves on a subject that, astonishingly, most people are unaware of.
I very much enjoyed and appreciated this book. I have known about the MMIWG crisis for a few years now, but I have learned so much for this book. I highly recommend everyone read it.
April 5, 2025
I needed a little time to digest this book.
I had so many mixed emotions. I, personally, have always been drawn to Indigenous art and music, and have always been curious about their customs and culture. I don’t know if it’s because I was born on the West Coast, and saw the totem poles in Stanley Park, or if it’s because my curiosity was shaped by movies about them. Even if they were misrepresentations. I’ve just always been curiously drawn to them. I’ve always felt that Indigenous people should have equal or greater status than us. I was never taught about the whole residential school thing in school. I was never really taught about the biases or racism…and, though I heard of the stereotypes, I wasn’t sure how to challenge them. Because as mentioned in this book, we were never told. It’s easy to blame the media, the law enforcement and the government…because they’re the ones controlling what the people see and learn. IF the government wants to hide the truth, they involve law enforcement and control what the media can report. Angela gives you an example of that in this book. Because her employer felt that she was “too close” to the story, and was therefore a potential “conflict of interest” to the story, they gave the story to a white man to report. How unsettling to think that someone who is part of a specific group is entirely biased. Yet, she also pointed out that a white male veteran of war, would not be seen as a conflict of interest in reporting on the effects of war. It’s a completely double standard.
I was angry at the injustice, because justice is something that runs deep within me. I was not taught these things, but I believe they happened. I was not taught about the racism or biases against these people until I got much older. And by then, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. It makes me angry. Our government pretending to care, but turning a blind eye. It’s the law enforcement’s fault that Robert Pickton got away with so many murders. All because the women he picked up were seen as less than, simply for the work they did. Why does nobody ask how they got to that place in the first place? Why does nobody ask what led them to feel they had to take on that kind of work just to merely survive? There are so many factors, and for women…many of them is merely just survival. Men have dominated the work field for so long, that many women have little to no chance. And if they were run aways as children, they have even less chance of making something of themselves. You add the racism against them, the abuse they’ve been trying to escape and the horrors of that actual life…and it’s not a pretty picture.
I’m glad that Angela was able to keep from going down the path of sex work, but, it would be understandable if she had found it as a the only solution to her situation. I’m glad she was able to find a way to rise above her circumstances and bring a light to the subject. No matter how hard it is. And trust me, as someone who is not Indigenous…it’s hard to wrestle with the idea that people treat each other so horribly. Being white, and being accused of these atrocities…while having to accept the fact that they did/do happen. it’s hard to stomach that, because of the injustice of it all.
While I am glad that Angela shared her story in this book as well, to simply highlight the ongoing issue still at large…I didn’t find it written as a memoir, as I did an informative journalistic tale. Filled with the horrors and truths that have faced and plagued many people. It wasn’t as interwoven as I would have liked, but that’s just my personal stance on it. I liked the information, and I liked the real life facts, feelings and experiences…but the interconnectedness for me, fell short.
I am proud to be Canadian…however, it’s hard to believe that a country, that prides itself on multiculturalism, tried its hardest to stamp out an entire culture, people and First Nation(I know there are many bands with different customs within it, I’m just using the singular to demonstrate the country as a whole). All in the name of Colonialism. With the idea that patriarchy is superior, that white is supreme and that there is only one way for people to get along…through assimilation. And even after all these years…giving nothing but lip service to the very people they tried to decimate…still pretending they’re trying to reconcile their actions with them. The very Prime Minister who promised to aim for Truth and Reconciliation, but dismisses the opportunity to see the impact caused by previous governments, law enforcements and media…it tells you, that all it will only ever be is lip service. It bothers me that the Indigenous in Canada, and in many colonized nations, are STILL treated as second rate citizens…simply because they’re not colonials. It’s not right, it’s not fair. If I can have my freedoms, by being born in this country, and on this land…then they should have their freedoms and as well. Treat them as the equals they are. That’s how you reconcile. You learn, you teach, you change!
This book dives right into the heart and truth of the matter at hand. And the truth is…it has taken far too long for the government to do anything to change. And they’re still taking too long to make their amends. My parents’ grandparents were not born in this country…but my parents and I were. How is it we have more rights than the very people who’ve been here long before any of us?
I had so many mixed emotions. I, personally, have always been drawn to Indigenous art and music, and have always been curious about their customs and culture. I don’t know if it’s because I was born on the West Coast, and saw the totem poles in Stanley Park, or if it’s because my curiosity was shaped by movies about them. Even if they were misrepresentations. I’ve just always been curiously drawn to them. I’ve always felt that Indigenous people should have equal or greater status than us. I was never taught about the whole residential school thing in school. I was never really taught about the biases or racism…and, though I heard of the stereotypes, I wasn’t sure how to challenge them. Because as mentioned in this book, we were never told. It’s easy to blame the media, the law enforcement and the government…because they’re the ones controlling what the people see and learn. IF the government wants to hide the truth, they involve law enforcement and control what the media can report. Angela gives you an example of that in this book. Because her employer felt that she was “too close” to the story, and was therefore a potential “conflict of interest” to the story, they gave the story to a white man to report. How unsettling to think that someone who is part of a specific group is entirely biased. Yet, she also pointed out that a white male veteran of war, would not be seen as a conflict of interest in reporting on the effects of war. It’s a completely double standard.
I was angry at the injustice, because justice is something that runs deep within me. I was not taught these things, but I believe they happened. I was not taught about the racism or biases against these people until I got much older. And by then, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. It makes me angry. Our government pretending to care, but turning a blind eye. It’s the law enforcement’s fault that Robert Pickton got away with so many murders. All because the women he picked up were seen as less than, simply for the work they did. Why does nobody ask how they got to that place in the first place? Why does nobody ask what led them to feel they had to take on that kind of work just to merely survive? There are so many factors, and for women…many of them is merely just survival. Men have dominated the work field for so long, that many women have little to no chance. And if they were run aways as children, they have even less chance of making something of themselves. You add the racism against them, the abuse they’ve been trying to escape and the horrors of that actual life…and it’s not a pretty picture.
I’m glad that Angela was able to keep from going down the path of sex work, but, it would be understandable if she had found it as a the only solution to her situation. I’m glad she was able to find a way to rise above her circumstances and bring a light to the subject. No matter how hard it is. And trust me, as someone who is not Indigenous…it’s hard to wrestle with the idea that people treat each other so horribly. Being white, and being accused of these atrocities…while having to accept the fact that they did/do happen. it’s hard to stomach that, because of the injustice of it all.
While I am glad that Angela shared her story in this book as well, to simply highlight the ongoing issue still at large…I didn’t find it written as a memoir, as I did an informative journalistic tale. Filled with the horrors and truths that have faced and plagued many people. It wasn’t as interwoven as I would have liked, but that’s just my personal stance on it. I liked the information, and I liked the real life facts, feelings and experiences…but the interconnectedness for me, fell short.
I am proud to be Canadian…however, it’s hard to believe that a country, that prides itself on multiculturalism, tried its hardest to stamp out an entire culture, people and First Nation(I know there are many bands with different customs within it, I’m just using the singular to demonstrate the country as a whole). All in the name of Colonialism. With the idea that patriarchy is superior, that white is supreme and that there is only one way for people to get along…through assimilation. And even after all these years…giving nothing but lip service to the very people they tried to decimate…still pretending they’re trying to reconcile their actions with them. The very Prime Minister who promised to aim for Truth and Reconciliation, but dismisses the opportunity to see the impact caused by previous governments, law enforcements and media…it tells you, that all it will only ever be is lip service. It bothers me that the Indigenous in Canada, and in many colonized nations, are STILL treated as second rate citizens…simply because they’re not colonials. It’s not right, it’s not fair. If I can have my freedoms, by being born in this country, and on this land…then they should have their freedoms and as well. Treat them as the equals they are. That’s how you reconcile. You learn, you teach, you change!
This book dives right into the heart and truth of the matter at hand. And the truth is…it has taken far too long for the government to do anything to change. And they’re still taking too long to make their amends. My parents’ grandparents were not born in this country…but my parents and I were. How is it we have more rights than the very people who’ve been here long before any of us?
February 6, 2024
This was an extremely impactful and important read. Often incredibly hard to swallow, but oh so important to hear about some of the stories and realities that have been suppressed for so long about MMIWG and the communities they came from. I remember growing up and not hearing about Indigenous issues - not in schools and not on the news my parents watched each evening. Angela speaks about why this was; when she started as a journalist at CBC, stories of Indigenous people were not reported on because those in charge said the public didn’t care about those stories or that they were too depressing. Unfortunately, they were right. Too many people to this day still don’t care about the struggles of Indigenous people caused by colonization and racism. The stories are too depressing to hear. But in restricting them, we are allowing those realities to continue by turning a blind eye, and suppressing collective action to change the stories and help Indigenous cultures to have conditions necessary to thrive. Angela’s work has given voices to so many who had their voices taken away, and she has worked to give equity and power to Indigenous people whose stories were swept under a rug for so long.
February 9, 2025
‘While I am critical and sometimes cynical, I am also hopeful and keen to look forward to a shift where Canadians can make the connections on their own, can call out and stand up against violence against Indigenous women, and create spaces that honour Indigenous women, our cultures, and our world views without feeling it is their place to save us. There is hope in knowing change is possible.’
Educational and empowering, this is an incredible piece of work which clearly was years in the making. Sterritt weaves her own story beautifully throughout and both magnifies how systemic racism, genocide, and colonialism shape and uphold the tragedies of the MMIWG of Canada. Much like many other investigative books into these tragedies formed by colonialism (e.g ‘Seven Fallen Feathers’) is an important one to read and not to be missed.
Educational and empowering, this is an incredible piece of work which clearly was years in the making. Sterritt weaves her own story beautifully throughout and both magnifies how systemic racism, genocide, and colonialism shape and uphold the tragedies of the MMIWG of Canada. Much like many other investigative books into these tragedies formed by colonialism (e.g ‘Seven Fallen Feathers’) is an important one to read and not to be missed.
January 1, 2025
This book was absolutely excellent and I would say it is a must read for every non-Indigenous and Indigenous person. There is too little education around MMIWG and this book delves deeply into multiple deaths of Indigenous women and girls.
I am praying for each of the souls of these women - and wracking my brain for how we can teach non-Indigenous men to LEAVE WOMEN alone!!!
Every police officer & teacher in Canada should be assigned to read this book.
I am praying for each of the souls of these women - and wracking my brain for how we can teach non-Indigenous men to LEAVE WOMEN alone!!!
Every police officer & teacher in Canada should be assigned to read this book.
November 12, 2024
An exceptional read. Angela Sterritt is a force to be reckoned with. Unbroken was shocking, heart wrenching, thought provoking and yet hope-inspiring. Sterritt’s journalistic style was so engaging I could barely put the book down. Simultaneously, it was so dense with wisdom I found myself reading certain sections over multiple times to fully absorb all there was to learn.
Highly recommend for those looking for an exposé of MMIWG stories and the neglect and racism imparted on Indigenous women and girls by Canadian society at large.
Highly recommend for those looking for an exposé of MMIWG stories and the neglect and racism imparted on Indigenous women and girls by Canadian society at large.
October 3, 2025
One woman's story written through the connection of other women's lived experiences of being Indigenous in a time where the world was not ready to face the atrocities of Canadian history. A call to the systemic failures of the RCMP and local police stations in the face of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Poking holes in the policies and happenings at news stations like CBC while working within them to change the voices heard through the stories told there. One way Ive taken action to educated myself, support Indigenous artists and unlearn the history I was given in school.
September 25, 2024
4.5* Indeed a remarkable memoir / outline of the ongoing failure of the justice system, the media, and most people to recognize the systemic racism and genocide facing indigenous people in Canada, including MMIWG.
June 22, 2023
Review coming soon!
June 29, 2025
Angela Sterritt has penned a raw , heartfelt story, that is a must read.
December 1, 2025
Outstanding
October 12, 2025
The author is very brave in sharing her story. It is so important that all Canadians understand the horrors that have been inflicted on the native population in the name of civilization and assimilation. She and other brave indigenous woman deserve our honor and respect.
April 17, 2025
Great book.
April 3, 2024
A must read, especially for those living in Canada.
September 4, 2025
Finally done with this book after struggling to finish reading anything these days!. One word to describe this book is "Wow! what an emotionally tough and intense this story was! The writing was very emotional and challenging as the author weaves and blends about her own life experiences with the experiences of other indigenous people and their struggle with the deep and entrenched systemic racism the Canadian government imposed on the indigenous people,including herself and her family.
The main focus of this book is about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). Prior to reading this book, i used to come across on social media on news about some missing indigenous people as shared by some of the bookstagrammers whom i have been following on Instagram,but at that time, i did not know just how serious and chilling this problem is until i read this book!.
In this part memoir,part investigative report and journalism, the author who is a Gixtsan, deeply investigates the causes of the MMIW which is linked to systemic and structural racism by the government and the media while uncovers on the impact of colonisation on the indigenous community in Canada.
So,this is what makes this story a very emotionally challenging read as it dealt with what colonisation did to the indigenous community and how it deeply impacted them as we are not only talking about the natives losing their lands and territories to some White colonisers here but also cultural and identity erasure, about genocide and ethnic cleansing!. They lost their native languages, clan and kinship system and rarely we view the impact of colonisation from the angle of social and psychological perspective as covered by this book,on how colonisation and racism also destroy familial ties and created a lot of social problems and mental health problems among the indigenous community. So,this book uncovers these issues too as the author and her family are battling with some intergenerational traumas and depressions and how their familial ties torn apart from colonisation and racism!..
So, basically this story isn't just about a large number of indigenous women were found to be missing and murdered on this notorious place dubbed as The Highway of Tears but there are much more layers to this. It is about how an indigenous woman,the author is fighting to survived from the abuses and abandonment by her own family who were struggling with trauma,depression and alcohol abuse, where she was forced to live on the streets in her teen! She had a very tough time growing up and forced to see things that a young person should not see or experience, which makes me think so much about the Palestinian children and teenagers who were forced to see things that they should not see and experienced traumatic experiences that a child should not face from a very young age!.
From this story,you will see just how problematic the government are and how complicit the media in the racism and social discriminations towards the indigenous community, which are the primary drivers towards their community being the constant targets for crimes like kidnapping,raping and murder! and you will see how deeply discriminatory their legal system too when it comes to investigating and persecuting the perpetrators of those crimes which are mostly White people! adding more insults and psychological injuries to the indigenous community where they did not get the justice and reparations they had the right to nor the closure that they seriously needed as some of the cases they could not find the bodies of their missing loved ones nor they know what exactly happened to them! and in most cases, the perpetrators of those crimes even got away unpunished!.
In short, just as this story is heartbreaking but it is also very inspiring and hopeful as the author fought not only for her right and survival but also for her people and the indigenous community and together they all fought for the justice of their dead and missing loved ones and together through this,they collectively heals from their own traumas and sufferings!
The main focus of this book is about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). Prior to reading this book, i used to come across on social media on news about some missing indigenous people as shared by some of the bookstagrammers whom i have been following on Instagram,but at that time, i did not know just how serious and chilling this problem is until i read this book!.
In this part memoir,part investigative report and journalism, the author who is a Gixtsan, deeply investigates the causes of the MMIW which is linked to systemic and structural racism by the government and the media while uncovers on the impact of colonisation on the indigenous community in Canada.
So,this is what makes this story a very emotionally challenging read as it dealt with what colonisation did to the indigenous community and how it deeply impacted them as we are not only talking about the natives losing their lands and territories to some White colonisers here but also cultural and identity erasure, about genocide and ethnic cleansing!. They lost their native languages, clan and kinship system and rarely we view the impact of colonisation from the angle of social and psychological perspective as covered by this book,on how colonisation and racism also destroy familial ties and created a lot of social problems and mental health problems among the indigenous community. So,this book uncovers these issues too as the author and her family are battling with some intergenerational traumas and depressions and how their familial ties torn apart from colonisation and racism!..
So, basically this story isn't just about a large number of indigenous women were found to be missing and murdered on this notorious place dubbed as The Highway of Tears but there are much more layers to this. It is about how an indigenous woman,the author is fighting to survived from the abuses and abandonment by her own family who were struggling with trauma,depression and alcohol abuse, where she was forced to live on the streets in her teen! She had a very tough time growing up and forced to see things that a young person should not see or experience, which makes me think so much about the Palestinian children and teenagers who were forced to see things that they should not see and experienced traumatic experiences that a child should not face from a very young age!.
From this story,you will see just how problematic the government are and how complicit the media in the racism and social discriminations towards the indigenous community, which are the primary drivers towards their community being the constant targets for crimes like kidnapping,raping and murder! and you will see how deeply discriminatory their legal system too when it comes to investigating and persecuting the perpetrators of those crimes which are mostly White people! adding more insults and psychological injuries to the indigenous community where they did not get the justice and reparations they had the right to nor the closure that they seriously needed as some of the cases they could not find the bodies of their missing loved ones nor they know what exactly happened to them! and in most cases, the perpetrators of those crimes even got away unpunished!.
In short, just as this story is heartbreaking but it is also very inspiring and hopeful as the author fought not only for her right and survival but also for her people and the indigenous community and together they all fought for the justice of their dead and missing loved ones and together through this,they collectively heals from their own traumas and sufferings!
July 30, 2024
The story told within these pages is so important, especially at this time of truth-telling, reconciliation and accountability. Angela Sterritt is a remarkable storyteller, vivid and unflinching, a passionate advocate for her people and in so doing, for herself. It takes a journalist to get to the point, to do the research, to make the conclusions and Sterritt does not shy away from the difficult stories, the images of the violence and the conclusions that are a painful part of her heritage. Her strength and vulnerability are present on every page. She’s an excellent writer and it’s reflected in every sentence.
The clarity of Sterritt’s voice reflects her fierce pride in her origins, and her courage in the face of Canada’s flawed system of justice, the legacy of colonial policies, abuse of power and truth in the acknowledgement of so many unimaginable crimes. As a journalist, she knows what questions to ask, where to look and what evidence to present in her coherent analyses. That she admits (in the face of so many missing and murdered indigenous women and girls), that ‘she could have been one of them’, makes the book more haunting and unforgettable. The title of the chapter ‘Those Who Take Us Away’ layers that tragic policy into the fabric of the picture Sterritt paints, including many participants in the history of cultural genocide that is the legacy she writes about.
In the chapter ‘Letter to my Son’, we hear the love she lives every day for her child, when she says of her journey of discovery, “There are things I might never tell you, because I don’t want to normalize these things for you, because they should never be normal in someone’s life.”
A huge & fierce accomplishment, the telling of all the stories, the naming of the names and the bearing witness for all the Indigenous women and girls whose lives were taken. It’s also a tribute to the families and loved ones left behind to grieve in spite of a system that minimizes and blames the victim. Sterritt calls out the lies and coverups that have been a part of the genocide of Canada’s Indigenous women and girls, of its culture and heritage. Deeply moving and frightening, courageous, moving, raging – so much!.
The clarity of Sterritt’s voice reflects her fierce pride in her origins, and her courage in the face of Canada’s flawed system of justice, the legacy of colonial policies, abuse of power and truth in the acknowledgement of so many unimaginable crimes. As a journalist, she knows what questions to ask, where to look and what evidence to present in her coherent analyses. That she admits (in the face of so many missing and murdered indigenous women and girls), that ‘she could have been one of them’, makes the book more haunting and unforgettable. The title of the chapter ‘Those Who Take Us Away’ layers that tragic policy into the fabric of the picture Sterritt paints, including many participants in the history of cultural genocide that is the legacy she writes about.
In the chapter ‘Letter to my Son’, we hear the love she lives every day for her child, when she says of her journey of discovery, “There are things I might never tell you, because I don’t want to normalize these things for you, because they should never be normal in someone’s life.”
A huge & fierce accomplishment, the telling of all the stories, the naming of the names and the bearing witness for all the Indigenous women and girls whose lives were taken. It’s also a tribute to the families and loved ones left behind to grieve in spite of a system that minimizes and blames the victim. Sterritt calls out the lies and coverups that have been a part of the genocide of Canada’s Indigenous women and girls, of its culture and heritage. Deeply moving and frightening, courageous, moving, raging – so much!.
August 28, 2025
3.5 stars
Let's start with the good: Building on the knowledge I already had about indigenous issues in Canada, I really appreciated the framework Sterritt provided when pointing out the criticisms often levied against indigenous communities and how to asnwer them. I am definitely going to use this.
There were stories that needed to be told in this book, and I am glad Sterritt did so.
My criticisms are two-fold. I had difficulty with the Reconciliation chapter. Yes, I know there were a lot of problems with it, but her critique of it felt performative, Like her other commentary on indigenous issues, I would have liked a framework that I might be able to use in a debate about this particular issue - there wasn't enough guidance because they expected indigenous people to know what they want and then later in the chapter to say indigenous people weren't consulted...I don't think this is what she meant. It wasn't a great chapter to the point where I felt it took away from the overarching themes of the book.
My other major criticism is the structure of the book. The author wanted to interweave her story into the overarching theme of female-presenting indigenous experience (trying to use the author's language here.) It didn't mesh well. As she said in her intro, the one thing she didn't want to do was take away from the losses of these communities and families, and I felt the rather rough transitions between tragic murders and her experience as a street kid with the central theme being racism and marginalization was done poorly. I don't think it works. I would have preferred if she had written two books: the loss of women and girl lives in indigenous communities across Canada and the devastating effects that these losses continue to have in families along with greater themes AND a second book about her struggles, her attemtps to reconnect with her heritage and roots and her experience as an indigenous women in different walks of life.
I will absolutely recommend it for anyone asks for more info about murdered indigenous women in Canada and generally to resituate Canadian history, but I do wish Sterritt had told her own story in her own book and given us the stories of these other women full page space.
Let's start with the good: Building on the knowledge I already had about indigenous issues in Canada, I really appreciated the framework Sterritt provided when pointing out the criticisms often levied against indigenous communities and how to asnwer them. I am definitely going to use this.
There were stories that needed to be told in this book, and I am glad Sterritt did so.
My criticisms are two-fold. I had difficulty with the Reconciliation chapter. Yes, I know there were a lot of problems with it, but her critique of it felt performative, Like her other commentary on indigenous issues, I would have liked a framework that I might be able to use in a debate about this particular issue - there wasn't enough guidance because they expected indigenous people to know what they want and then later in the chapter to say indigenous people weren't consulted...I don't think this is what she meant. It wasn't a great chapter to the point where I felt it took away from the overarching themes of the book.
My other major criticism is the structure of the book. The author wanted to interweave her story into the overarching theme of female-presenting indigenous experience (trying to use the author's language here.) It didn't mesh well. As she said in her intro, the one thing she didn't want to do was take away from the losses of these communities and families, and I felt the rather rough transitions between tragic murders and her experience as a street kid with the central theme being racism and marginalization was done poorly. I don't think it works. I would have preferred if she had written two books: the loss of women and girl lives in indigenous communities across Canada and the devastating effects that these losses continue to have in families along with greater themes AND a second book about her struggles, her attemtps to reconnect with her heritage and roots and her experience as an indigenous women in different walks of life.
I will absolutely recommend it for anyone asks for more info about murdered indigenous women in Canada and generally to resituate Canadian history, but I do wish Sterritt had told her own story in her own book and given us the stories of these other women full page space.
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