'I was just shocked': Cree woman makes bold statement against racial profiling

A Cree fashion designerfromChilliwack, B.C., is making a statement after she says she was racially profiled in a local grocery store.

Linda LaVallee, who is Cree and the ownerof CreeNisga'aDesignslocated in the city about 100 kilometres east of Vancouver, was shopping for food for her family when she was approached by a security guard who asked her to emptyher purse-sized backpack.

"And I said why," said LaVallee, 54, who had noticed a group of non-Indigenous teens sportinglarge backpacks right in front of her.

He told LaVallee hewanted to make sure she didn't steal anything.

She was upset and refused to open her backpack sowas escorted outside the store.

"I was just shocked," she said. "I was in the parking lot and I was so hurt and I was crying andI thought, they can't do that," she said.

365 Ribbon skirts

LaVallee went home and told her husbandthat if she was going to be racially profiled then she would 'dress the part.'

Armed withfashion design andsewing skills, she brought out fabric and ribbons and embarked on a project aimed at keeping her pride intact.

"I started making ribbon skirts and for 365 days [I will be making] one a day," she said.

Ribbon skirts are traditional women's regalia amongmany Indigenous groupsincluding LaVallee's Cree people.

She is now on day 350 and over the last year she has noticed peoplestaringat her, but not for the reasonsshe expected.

"It wasn't like the racial feel, it was like I was walking taller and stronger and I was like I have my ancestors behind me now don't mess with me," she laughed.

LaVallee says people from different cultures often approach her and askabout the skirts, and what it means to her people. In that sense, it's helpedbuildconnections with people fromall over the world.

From the closet to a Cree camp

When LaVallee's closet started to fill up with dozens and then hundreds ofribbon skirts, she and her husband decided to sell them and use the proceeds to fund aproject tohelp Cree youthin her Montreal Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan learn their language.

She charged women between $50 to $100per skirt, based on what they could afford.

"It was was never to make a profit but ladies knew any skirts they bought would go toward the Cree program," LaVallee said.

The language camp in Saskatchewan wasattended by 22 Cree kids from kindergarten to Grade 8. LaVallee said only one youth knew more than fivewords at the beginning.

"Now 17 kids know 40 words".

"If we don't find ways to keep our language alive, our generation will be the last," LaVallee said on the importance of the teaching youth their language.

While the racial profilingincident morphed into something beautiful, she said she hasn't forgottenhow this all started and the message she wantsto send to all Indigenous people who may have experienced racism:

"Not to let the racial profiling define you, to stand up and say, enough is enough. Be proud of who you are."