Caterina Petrolo is a passionate advocate for Indigenous rights and an emerging voice in the field of social justice, storytelling, and equity. Her journey has been profoundly shaped by a personal connection to Indigenous peoples in Canada, giving her work a strong foundation of empathy, authenticity, and resilience. Over the years, she has engaged with complex systems of government, challenged bureaucratic red tape, and used storytelling as both a healing tool and an advocacy strategy. Through her work, Cathy Petrolo continues to inspire conversations about justice, reconciliation, and the future of advocacy.
Cathy’s story begins with her long-standing personal relationship with her common-law partner, whose experience navigating Canada’s system for Indigenous status recognition profoundly influenced her perspective. His struggles highlighted how systemic barriers often strip Indigenous people of their rights and identities. Despite his biological parents being Indigenous, adoption laws and bureaucratic hurdles made it nearly impossible for him to obtain official recognition of his status.
For years, Cathy stood alongside him, facing rejection after rejection from government agencies. She personally witnessed how applications for recognition were consistently denied, delayed, or filed in inactive records. In 2009, Cathy took it upon herself to intervene more directly, submitting statutory declarations and other documentation on his behalf, only to encounter the same dismissive responses.
It wasn’t until 2020, nearly three decades after his first application, that perseverance paid off. Cathy’s persistence and insistence on accountability from government officials led to his eventual recognition. This experience was more than a bureaucratic struggle—it revealed the systemic failures and injustices that Indigenous people continue to endure. The process shaped her commitment to standing with Indigenous communities and reinforced her drive to address inequities through advocacy and education.
Recognizing the importance of education in advancing reconciliation, Cathy enrolled in Indigenous Studies courses at the University of Alberta. These studies broadened her understanding of Indigenous histories, cultures, and contemporary struggles, equipping her with the academic framework to complement her personal experiences. She has emphasized the importance of approaching Indigenous cultures with respect and openness, stressing that true reconciliation requires listening and acknowledging Indigenous sovereignty.
Cathy’s educational pursuits highlight a key element of her advocacy: the belief that understanding must precede change. Without knowledge of Indigenous experiences and histories, broader Canadian society cannot fully address issues of equity, justice, and sovereignty.
In her Q&A reflections, Cathy shared her vision for a “Justice Hackathon.” She envisions this as a gathering of innovators, community leaders, and advocates collaborating to develop tools that empower Indigenous communities. For her, justice is not just about legal systems but about healing and cultural safety.
The hackathon would focus on solutions such as mobile apps that explain legal rights in Indigenous languages, platforms that support circle sentencing, and digital spaces for safe storytelling. Each tool would be rooted in community leadership and cultural values, designed to put power back into the hands of Indigenous peoples. Cathy’s vision represents a future where technology and tradition intersect, creating accessible, community-centered solutions.
Storytelling is at the heart of Cathy’s advocacy. She has long recognized the power of stories to cut through bureaucracy and capture attention in ways that formal reports or petitions cannot. Sharing stories directly through videos and social media has been one of her boldest strategies. These platforms bypass traditional gatekeepers and amplify Indigenous voices to a broader audience.
For Cathy, storytelling is not just about advocacy but also about healing. Songs, poems, and stories remind her and her community of the resilience that sustains their work. She often returns to Rita Joe’s poem “I Lost My Talk,” which speaks to the loss and reclamation of identity. Similarly, Logan Staats’s song “Fight for You” inspires her with its blend of pain and strength, echoing the themes of resistance and resilience that shape her work.
If given the chance to address Parliament without interruption, Cathy knows exactly what she would say: listen and act. Her message is direct and uncompromising—Indigenous peoples need real power over their lands, laws, and lives, not symbolic gestures or empty promises. Reconciliation, in her view, must go beyond acknowledgment and into the realm of shared power and true partnership.
This commitment to accountability reflects Cathy’s belief that meaningful change requires systemic transformation. It is not enough to involve Indigenous peoples in discussions; they must be equal partners in shaping policies that affect their futures.
Looking 20 years ahead, Cathy hopes her generation will be remembered for building respect, trust, and genuine partnership. She imagines a future where Indigenous self-determination is fully supported and where cross-cultural mentorships reflect shared values and tools. She envisions justice systems rooted in healing, respect, and cultural strength, passed down to future generations as lasting legacies.
Her future-oriented vision also includes symbolic expressions of reconciliation. When asked to imagine reconciliation as a piece of art, she described it as a vibrant tapestry woven together by Elders, youth, and artists from both Indigenous and settler communities. This artwork embodies healing, respect, and unity, reflecting reconciliation not as a policy, but as a living, collaborative practice.
Among the many stories Cathy believes deserve more attention, she highlights the voices of Indigenous women and Two-Spirit people. These individuals often lead cultural preservation, healing, and advocacy against violence, yet their contributions are too often overlooked. By amplifying their voices, Cathy seeks to ensure that national conversations reflect the full scope of resilience within Indigenous communities.
When reflecting on who she would most want to shadow in history, Cathy points to Buffy Sainte-Marie, the renowned Indigenous artist and activist. Buffy’s ability to balance art and activism, and to persist through challenges, resonates deeply with Cathy’s own journey. She values humor as another vital source of resilience, recalling moments where shared laughter lightened the weight of advocacy work. Humor, she believes, is an often-overlooked form of healing and a source of solidarity.
Fast forward to the year 2040, and Cathy’s dream headline is clear: “Canada Celebrates Indigenous-Led Justice and Healing as Standard Practice Nationwide.” For her, this headline would mark the realization of decades of advocacy and the normalization of Indigenous approaches to justice. It would symbolize not only policy change but also cultural transformation—proof that reconciliation had moved from aspiration to lived reality.
Caterina Petrolo’s journey into advocacy reflects a powerful combination of personal experience, academic pursuit, and visionary leadership. She stands as an advocate who bridges systems and stories, using both to imagine a better future. Her work underscores the importance of storytelling, humor, resilience, and cultural respect in advancing Indigenous rights.
Through her vision for justice hackathons, her insistence on genuine partnership with Indigenous communities, and her relentless belief in the power of stories, Cathy Petrolo exemplifies what it means to reimagine justice in the 21st century. As she continues her advocacy, her voice remains a crucial reminder that reconciliation requires more than promises—it requires listening, sharing power, and embracing Indigenous-led solutions.
