RECONCILIATION
SPEAKERS BUREAU
JAMES HARRY SR
A dedicated advocate for strengthening Vancouver’s Downtown East Side (DTES) and Indigenous communities across British Columbia, James’s story reflects a journey from childhood trauma and a lifetime of addiction to 11 years of healing and transformation. As Haisla Nation’s first urban outreach and peer support worker in 2017, he pioneered a trauma-informed approach built on trust and cultural respect. Amid the Covid-19 and opioid crises in 2020, James founded the All Nations Outreach Society (ANOS), which grew from distributing 12 meals to serving 70,000 meals and supporting 360 individuals weekly. His leadership earned him the 2023 BC Achievement Award. James continues to champion culturally rooted, holistic support as ANOS’s executive director.
MY STORY
My story reflects a journey from childhood trauma and a lifetime of addiction to 11 years of healing and transformation. I have dedicated my career to strengthening communities in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side (DTES) and Indigenous communities across British Columbia. With a deep commitment to supporting Indigenous people facing addiction, mental illness, and homelessness, I became Haisla Nation’s first urban outreach and peer support worker in 2017. I introduced a trauma-informed approach that emphasizes trust and cultural respect.
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Amid the dual crises of Covid-19 and the opioid epidemic in 2020, I founded the All Nations Outreach Society (ANOS) to unite Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members in delivering culturally relevant support. What began with my wife Janet and me distributing 12 lunches through our Feed the People program has grown into a transformative organization, serving approximately 70,000 meals and supporting 360 individuals weekly, thanks to the efforts of dedicated volunteers.
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My vision is to unite Nations in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable, a mission that earned me the 2023 BC Achievement Award for excellence in community service and leadership. Today, I continue to champion holistic, culturally grounded support as the executive director and lead outreach worker for ANOS.