QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH METICIA

Meticia Ball, Indigenous mama, wife, and youth worker. She is a lover of honey lavender ice cream, music, decorating, fashion, Earth Day and trying to be a better human and plant lady each day. She is striving to break the cycle of historical trauma within and for herself as well as for her son (Lucas), partner (Kevin) and her community. Meticia leads with a grateful heart and she is a lifelong learner. She is an advocate for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and Postpartum Depression support, all while trying to make the world a more equitable and beautiful place. I was really excited to interview one of my very best friends. She is a delight and one of the kindest people on this planet. – Aasha

What makes you unique?
I speak from my heart and I find strength in being vulnerable. I am always open and honest. 

What’s something you want to learn?
There are a lot of things I want to learn.  I want to learn to cook more.  I want to make more homemade food so Lucas can have childhood memories of that. I would love to have him be in the kitchen with me, I think that would be really fun. We’ve made cupcakes and he helped pour things in the bowl. It was really sweet.I adore those little moments and I hope he will remember them too.  

I want to learn to be a better plant lady. I have a new box of plants. Which I’m really excited about. My mom is a green thumb and is really great at taking care of plants. We have connected more with having plant talk.

What is your biggest pet peeve – what gets on your last nerve? 

Entitlement. I hate when people act entitled to whatever extent that is. I hate when people act entitled to space, entitled to being in my space and entitled to voice things they don’t know much about. Using their entitlement to think their voice needs to be heard over others. 

Would you rather go to the beach or the mountains?
Mountains. I am very into the fall right now and the mountains come to mind. I love the crisp air, layering and I’m here for fall fashion and hiking. Lucas and Percy (her dog) love to walk around in nature. 

What’s your favorite place on earth?
Anywhere that I’m with Kevin, Lucas and Percy. 

What is something you are proud of?
I am really proud of my practice and role in striving to break cycles of  historical trauma within my family and the community. That really means being intentional and aware of how I treat myself and how I treat others. Especially the role that I play as a mom to my son and giving him a different experience that others may have in a healthy way. I think having the discipline of being aware and catching yourself and giving yourself grace and knowing I am trying my best. I feel really proud of my relationship with my mom right now. I notice some things in my family have  passed down really traumatic experiences like post genocide, post boarding schools and having generations of not knowing what are healthy relationships and parenting styles. How can we break those? So recognizing unhealthy traits and patterns and moving past that through communicating for change. It is ongoing work and hopefully I can do my part. The future of my family, friends and community can heal from all the work that has been put in. 

What’s a favorite way to spend a day off?
Getting dressed up, going shopping and having Mexican food.

If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Tacos and salad. 

Follow up question: would you do homemade tacos?
I would go somewhere and get it. It is always better when someone makes it for you. 

What’s your favorite season and why?
Fall because of fall fashion, layers, sweaters, boots and lattes.

Is there a product you couldn’t live without?
Frother …I absolutely love love having a frother. It seems like an extra thing to have but a little bit of foam in the coffee just sets the day. 

Are you more of a “work to live” or “live to work” type of person?
The work that I do now is live to work. Working with young people doesn’t feel like work, it feels meaningful. It feels really good to wake up in the morning and be excited about what you are doing. It is easy to find purpose in it. 

What career advice would you give to your younger self?
Things fall into place on their own. I remember someone saying “Youth work always finds you” because I feel like it fell into place and I was ready to accept it and loved it ever since. Youth work just found me at the right time. 

What makes you feel at peace?
I have several things that make me feel at peace. Being at home. Home meaning with Kevin, Lucas and Percy and knowing that we have each other. At the end of the day in bed laying next to Lucas and watching him sleep and knowing Kevin is here with us. 

What also gives me peace is knowing my brother is okay. Being a good big sister is really important to me.

What is the first thing you wanted to be when you grew up?
I wanted to do cosmetology. Self care was so much fun to do and it interested me at the time. I wanted to do hair, makeup and facials. I liked those types of self care for myself and I wanted to do it for people but then I got really nervous because what if I jacked up somebody’s hair? I would be so sad because that would not bring them joy. It was too much pressure at the time. Life just happens and you change your mind.

Tell us something Good 2 (to) know
I will leave a quote that I’ve been thinking about….“You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it” author unknown 

Meticia’s 5 favorite things
1. Glassybaby votives (a portion of each purchase goes toward hope and healing organizations) https://www.glassybaby.com/
2. Bkr water bottle https://mybkr.com/collections/best-sellers
3. Tatcha kissu lip mask https://www.sephora.com/product/tatcha-the-kissu-lip-mask-P453225
4.“You are my Sunshine” necklace from Anthropologie 
5. Tie dye face mask by B.yellowtail (indigenous owned) https://byellowtail.com/

Anything you want to promote or highlight?
Being an Indigenous woman and something that hits home is bringing awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). How tragic it is and how often it happens.  Here is a link recommended by Meticia: https://www.powwows.com/the-tragedy-of-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-mmiw/

I also want to say I absolutely love Good2know and I want to support it in any way. I feel really honored that you asked me to do it. The times that we are in right now, Good2Know really brings joy to my life.

I would like to promote Well For Culture. I love following their blog and IG @wellforculture. Also Paul Wilson’s IG and work @PaulRWW.