Jody Okabe is a Two Spirit Indigiqueer person of Ts’msyen, Japanese, and French ancestry, and a proud member of Kitsumkalum. Their family belongs to the House of Raven, W’aap K’oom, Ganhada Clan. Raised on the territories of the Ts’msyen, Tse’Khene, and Lheidli T’enneh peoples, Jody is currently a guest on the stolen, unceded, and occupied homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and Sel̓íl̓witulh Nations. 

Jody discovered their voice co-creating grassroots open mic nights with friends, a space rooted in connection, vulnerability, and joy. Since then, they’ve graced the stages of Vines Art Festival, Festival Afloat, Heart of the City, Indian Summer Festival, Manifesto with IndigenEyez, and performed at the opening of the 2018 JUNO Awards. In 2021, they were commissioned to create an original piece for the Powell Street Festival honouring their great grandparents Taki and Denjiro Okabe. 

Rooted in love, resistance, collective joy and liberation, their work is an honouring, a prayer and reclamation of heart. 

Sagayt K’uul G’oot