Drops on the Fire: Leading Transformative Health System Change at Island Health

“Don’t leave before the miracle.”

That’s the teaching that Lisa Main, a leader on the Indigenous Health Team at Island Health Authority, holds close in her day-to-day work. It’s a message she received from an Elder early in her career—and it continues to shape her approach to creating transformative change within her organization. 

Lisa is of Metis and Cree ancestry on her mothers side and mixed European ancestry on her father’s side. We had the honour of sitting down with Lisa to learn more about her journey, the work she’s been doing in partnership with LPC, and what’s giving her hope for the future.

What makes you believe that decolonization and reconciliation are possible? What is giving you hope right now?

For Lisa, hope lives in action—small, intentional steps with intergenerational impact. She often returns to a story shared by Elder Gerry about a hummingbird dropping water on a forest fire, one drop at a time. That teaching grounds her. Today, she sees Indigenous-specific racism as a fire, and the hummingbird reminds her to meet it with resilience and perseverance, alongside her teammates.

“Sometimes our work can feel quite futile, but  if we just put out that forest fire one drop at a time, we can make really meaningful change. So that story from Elder Jerry always stuck with me and it's actually framed my work day to day. I go to work and I keep that hummingbird peaching close to and visibly in my work”.

Lisa has found that what once couldn’t be named is now being talked about. Five years ago, it was difficult to even mention Indigenous specific racism. Today, those conversations are happening—with more truth, more accountability, and centering Indigenous experiences. A strengths based approach, combined with the power of communities themselves will continue to bring water to the fire. 

“the conversation is happening and I think that what gives me hope is that those conversations are really rooted in trust, accountability, and truth-telling. Without those three things in place I think conversations about racism wouldn't progress…it allows the Indigenous experience to be highlighted, not only for the hardship and deficits that are faced in terms of health disparities and all else, but also the resilience and the incredible brilliance that shines when health systems actually start listening to Indigenous people… And that resilience, strength and vibrancy of Indigenous communities will continue to fuel

the work ahead”

What are you most proud of in terms of the work you have done alongside LPC?

Lisa describes her early days in the role as both exciting and overwhelming: a small team navigating a large, complex health system. She knew change was needed—but wasn’t sure where to begin.

Working with LPC offered more than just training. It was external support that could model what system-level change could look like when grounded in integrity, humility, and clear purpose. LPC could provide guidance and support to get started and create change in another context.

“[Len] leads with such integrity and heart and a strong understanding of systems level change. It kind of like gave me permission to say, hey, I know how to do that too”

Lisa is especially proud of creating a cross-portfolio Indigenous-specific anti-racism learning collaborative at Island Health—bringing together not only the Indigenous health team but key partners from mental health, substance use, and more.

“what that did was model that Indigenous-specific racism is a system-wide responsibility. It is not just the work of Indigenous health teams’’, but rather, “a shared idea of shared responsibilities [that over time] shifts ownership across leadership teams”.

What’s emerging now is a slow but significant culture shift. Lisa is increasingly seeing people do the right thing, even when no one is watching.

What sort of transformative work makes you excited about the future? What are you dreaming about in terms of decolonization?

Lisa dreams of a future where Indigenous representation and knowledge are not “nice-to-haves,” but must-haves—where cultural safety is embedded, hardwired, and non-negotiable.

“The Cultural Safety and Humility Standard is no longer just a recommendation. It’s a requirement. We have a corporate tool that allows us to push for real, measurable change.”

Her vision includes Indigenous people being invited into decision-making spaces with readiness, respect, and clarity about their role and impact. For Lisa, that’s when the real shift happens—when inclusion is intentional, not performative.

“When it’s done well, I can feel it in my bones. When somebody genuinely invites a First Nations, Métis or Inuit contributor to the table, I find that there's a readiness and there's a stage that's been set where people's voices will be deeply respected. Their pace and needs and preferences in the space are absolutely upheld. Their rights are upheld, that they're very clear in how their contributions will be weighted and how they will be included in decision making. And then that follow up piece about how does this actually impact community? How does this prevent somebody from having an adverse experience again? So when a stage is set and there are those conditions in place, you can feel it in the room”

LPC Facilitates Experiential "Circle in the Box" Training in a Longhouse at Katzie First Nation

What would you tell an organization or individual that is getting started with this work?

Lisa’s advice is simple and powerful: start by listening. Build a circle that can hold space for the hard stuff—because there’s going to be a lot of it. 

“Call the people doing this work. Ask what they’re facing. Learn what’s working. Share challenges. Help me understand what are you facing? What are your strengths? What are your challenges? What have you done about them?” 

In addition to building out a team of support, Lisa also shared a teaching she learned from a Metis educator during her grad studies: “Resistance is where you find the richest soil”. If you're facing pushback, that might be the very place where the deepest change can happen.

And most importantly “Don’t leave before the miracle”. Stay humble, stay connected, and don’t try to perfect the work before you start. Just begin.

Lisa closed the conversation by reflecting on what she calls the greatest gift of this work: relationships. Through working with LPC, she didn’t just find collaborators—she found community.

“I met people I know will be lifelong friends. Someone who’s in the trenches, doing the work, and not afraid to show up fully.”