M1 Agency provides specialized Indigenous-led marketing and communications partnerships including strategy, storytelling, and community engagement for First Nations and organizations throughout Victoria, Vancouver Island, and British Columbia.

Witness Blanket

In 2013, M1 partnered with Kwagiulth and Coast Salish artist Carey Newman to create Picking Up The Pieces: The Making Of The Witness Blanket, a feature documentary following Carey and his team as they collected artifacts and stories from residential schools and residential school survivors across Canada. The film premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2018.

We also designed a website and app to extend the project's educational reach beyond the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, where the art installation is housed today.

KA:'YU:'K'T'H' / CHE:K'TLES7ET'H' FIRST NATIONS

In 2015, Kyuquot/Checleseht First Nations (KCFN) engaged M1 to support their vision of rebuilding their Bighouse, a cultural and spiritual landmark lost due to government actions. Since then, our decade long partnership has grown to include website development, ongoing video storytelling, and support for Tiičma Enterprises, the economic arm of the Nations. We've produced over 90 videos during this time, creating a rich archival library that serves the Nation's communications and governance needs. Today, we continue to work with KCFN, supporting each administrative department with their communications goals.

VICTORIA NATIVE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE (VNFC)

We partnered with the VNFC to design and build their website, creating a modern platform that reflects their mission and values. We commissioned local Indigenous artists to create custom artwork for use across the website and digital channels, with each artist creating seven unique pieces.

Our collaboration has extended beyond the initial launch. We continue to work with VNFC on a monthly basis, keeping their website up-to-date and producing video content that captures events and supports their communications.

SȾÁUTW̱ FIRST NATION (TSAWOUT)

M1 began working with Tsawout First Nation in 2021, initially supporting fundraising efforts for their Bighouse. Since then, our partnership has grown to provide ongoing communications support across their administrative departments. We produce video content for various needs, including documentation of their Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) work and Reef Net restoration project, working closely with each department to meet their specific communications goals and capturing events.

MOOSEHIDE CAMPAIGN

M1 met Moosehide Campaign founder Paul Lacerte through our work on the Witness Blanket. Founded by Paul and his daughter Raven, Moosehide is a grassroots movement that began in Victoria and has grown into a national campaign standing against violence towards Indigenous women and children.

M1 first engaged with Moosehide in 2022 to capture the annual solidarity walk, and we continue to support the organization each year through video documentation.