Have you met… Corey Bighorn?

Have you met Corey, national coordinator for Camp fYrefly? Spend a few minutes getting to know him a little better.

What is your first U of A memory?

I joined the iSMSS Team during U of A Pride Week, so I felt extremely welcomed by the university as a whole. I was not very open before moving here, and so I consciously made the choice to explore the campus, meet new people, and to attend as many Pride Week events as possible. As a result I made some really great friends.

What’s something your coworkers don’t know about you?

I don’t think they know that I once attempted to start a career in television and film. After some work as an extra, a spot in a reality television series, and 3 auditions for The Twilight Saga: New Moon, I decided that I wanted to focus on music.

What’s your favourite distraction?

My favourite curse — oops, I mean my favourite distraction, is Fortnite. I love playing online with my friends back home in Winnipeg. It’s how I stay in touch with them. It’s not something we did prior, but it has become a new interest and way to stay connected during isolation.

If you were enrolling in one course, program or degree right now, what would it be?

In my previous role, I was a manager of a commercial tobacco education strategy. I have never claimed to have a scientific brain, but I eventually found myself genuinely finding joy in researching and developing educational content on how nicotine interacts with the body. So I often find myself enjoying videos about things like brain function, and physics. I have also been researching memory in my free time. I am not sure where any of this would apply, but if our society abandoned capitalism tomorrow and we had more autonomy, I might one day explore education in these areas.

What’s a weird pet peeve you have?

If I had any before this year of isolation from people, they are all but forgotten as a result.

You can invite anyone — alive or dead, real or fictional — to dinner. Who would it be?

I actually have an answer for this question! I have always said that I would like to have brunch with Mindy Kaling and Reese Witherspoon.

If you could see any live performance tomorrow, what would it be?

I have seen Taylor Swift perform live 4 times, and every single night in my heart. Taylor is the gold standard for live shows and so I look forward to many of her shows in the future.

What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

I often think about time and how we move forward through it constantly in a state of development. I think back to myself in desperate moments — like the many I had as a child and specifically when I turned 18. The person I would become, and am now, extends his hand through time to heal those wounds. On tough days, I visualize the man I am today, holding that younger version of myself. I always tell those younger versions of myself that I will always be here for him.

What’s one thing you can’t live without?

Iced coffee.

What three words describe your U of A experience?

There is only one: Different.

About Corey Bighorn

Corey Bighorn (he/him) is Cree, Ojibwe, and Dakota from Bloodvein First Nation in Treaty 5 Territory. He’s been a guest in Treaty 6 since March 2020. Corey dedicates his time to the 2SLGBTQ+ community as Camp fYrefly National Coordinator, and Board Member with the Edmonton 2Spirit Society.