Interview with the Winner of the Greg Younging Undergraduate Award, Alex Krilow

The Greg Younging Undergraduate Award was established in honour of Dr. Gregory Younging, who devoted his life advocating for Indigenous publishers, creators, writers, and designers across Canada. This $1000 award is granted annually to an Indigenous undergraduate student enrolled in our minor in Print and Digital Publishing to encourage the training of emerging Indigenous publishers in Canada.

Below is our interview with Alex Krilow, who is the recipient of this year’s award.

1.How do you feel as the first-ever recipient of the Greg Younging Undergraduate Award?

I am very honored to be the first-ever recipient of the Greg Younging Undergraduate Award. Throughout his life, Greg Younging has made incredible contributions in many different spaces such as publishing, the Indigenous community, the art council, public services, federal initiatives, and much more. I am thankful to win an award that has been dedicated to such an amazing man.

2.Why did you apply for the Greg Younging Undergraduate Award and how will it impact you?

I received an email from the Indigenous Student Centre at SFU and applied because I met the qualifications and thought it would be a good opportunity. This award will allow me to concentrate more on my studies and continue school without being stressed about my finances. As well, I hope to attend graduate school in the future, so completing my undergraduate degree without having any debt would be a great foundation.

3.How does Greg Younging inspire you and why is the award meaningful to you?

Seeing how much Greg has accomplished in his lifetime is inspiring because he motivates others like myself to follow in his footsteps and shows us what we can possibly achieve. This award is meaningful to me because much like Greg Younging, I want to support the Indigenous community. Currently, I am working for the Indigenous training program with Canada Border Services Agency, where I help with federal initiatives related to Indigenous studies. I am also volunteering as a social media assistant for the North Fraser Metis Association

4.Why do you think it is important to have more Indigenous voices in the publishing industry?

Throughout history, Indigenous voices have been put on the backburner, and in many situations, our voices have been under shadowed by other prominent figures in society. In the past, many Indigenous voices were suppressed, especially those who attended residential schools. Moving forward, it is so important to have our voices be heard and encourage more Indigenous writers and publishers to tell their own stories. Having more Indigenous voices and acting as a role model for other future Indigenous writers can inspire them to accomplish their own goals.