Advisory Committee, Inspire Inuit

Maxine Issiqut Angoo (she/her) is a queer Inuk woman from Whale Cove, Nunavut, now living on Treaty One Territory for the past 16 years. Deeply rooted in both rural and urban communities, Maxine is committed to the well-being of Inuit across Canada. She has served on numerous national committees focused on suicide prevention and 2SLGBTQQIA+ advocacy within Inuit and Indigenous communities.

Maxine co-created a culturally safe “Tea Talk” space with an Inuit Elder during the 2022 Inuit Studies Conference. She believes it’s vital to remember that 2SLGBTQQIA+ identities have always existed in Inuit communities, despite the impact of colonization, Christianity, and residential schools.

A founding member and more recently the new Executive Director of Tunngasugit Inc., Western Canada’s first Inuit resource centre, Maxine continues to advocate for Inuit rights and representation. Guided by traditional Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit values, she builds meaningful relationships across institutions to challenge stereotypes and amplify Inuit voices through storytelling and lived experience.