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Bringing you provenly innovative, community-rooted talent.
We are a next-generation speakers bureau connecting clients with diverse entrepreneurs who provide speaking and training services at accessible pricing, alongside offering in-house professional services.
Specializing in community impact, sustainability, Indigenization, disability, and more, the voices we represent are charting futures that inherently address our most pressing systemic challenges.
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ALLISON SETO for Arc'teryx
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ALLISON SETO for Arc'teryx
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We connect non-profits, public institutions, and corporate audiences with the diverse expert speakers they're actually looking for.
Representing the voices of tomorrow, today.
We represent the voices of tomorrow, today, with a direction rooted in the Indigenous teachings of future ancestry.
This means we understand that our actions today shape the future, and we’re collectively accountable for the choices, resilience, and lessons passed down by those who came before us, and for what we pass on to the next generations.
Hair connects us to the land, and so the hair of both subjects connect and trail forward
Grey leaves symbolizing our Earth in need of replenishment as Her resources are depleting
An Afro-Indigenous face full of life, a representation of of us as future ancestors; our diversity
Green leaves symbolizing a thriving Earth shaped by our actions.
A grey face yet to the filled, our future generations; or a face watching over us, our ancestors
Tsista (Tehatsistahawi) Kennedy, our Logo Designer, is a youth Woodland-Style Artist belonging to the Anishnaabe and Onyota'aka nations.
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ALLISON SETO for Arc'teryx
Our imperfect creation story brought us to where we proudly are today.
Future Ancestors Services was founded in 2020 out of a place of survival.
In 2019, Larissa left her government and non-profit roles due to racism, ageism, and ableism. With over 15 years of expertise in Indigenous and anti-racism research, she understood that confronting the colonized experiences of time and productivity was essential for addressing the root causes of racism, ageism, and ableism that had characterized hers and so many others' educational and career journey. Initially structured as a remote subcontractor consulting firm, Larissa incorporated Future Ancestors Services in January 2020 with plans for a March launch with a small founding team. When COVID-19 hit, demand for virtual services surged. By our April launch, we quickly filled the gap, experiencing rapid client growth. In June 2020, Larissa sustained a brain bleed, leading to lasting damage and a temporary shift in her business roles. The founding team stepped in, pausing Constellation and Grant Fund development until resources allowed. As demand grew, new team members joined in the Fall and Winter, quickly taking on complex contracts and community services.
Founder's Story
From 2021 to 2023 we grew but mostly, we were still in that state of survival.
As racial and environmental justice gained mainstream attention, demand for our services grew rapidly. By Fall 2021, we had over 200 clients and welcomed new team members who provided vital administrative support. We focused on integrating rest and exploring what it means to "work differently" through decolonization and innovative business practices. Our client network expanded as we strengthened administrative support, guided our direction with decolonial and Indigenous teachings, and relaunched community supports like live events and our grant fund. In 2023, we prioritized internal restorative relationship building and organizational restructuring, laying the foundation for future growth.
Founder's Story
In 2024 we embraced the failure, pivoted, and restructured in accordance with our pilots, learnings, and demand.
Formerly a subcontractor consulting firm, we faced limitations that led to declining a third of client requests. To address challenges in our business structure, Larissa's management and leadership, and Contractor supports, we transitioned to a speakers bureau model. This shift allows us to scale growth, expand client capacity, and better support entrepreneurs, broadening our impact through talented speakers and trainers. In 2020, we piloted a speakers bureau, guiding our strategic pivot to address past challenges, optimize resources, and expand engagement. This transformation enhances our effectiveness within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. We’re also set to relaunch community services, including our grant fund, in early 2025 with impact-focused partners. The first four years of Future Ancestors Services were collectively shaped by the brilliance, dedication, and innovation of Chúk Odenigbo, Mo Phúng, Chanèle Couture, Mariah Greiner, Myriam Moussa, Karim Moussa, Frank Zidona, and more who have asked not to be named. If you're interested in seeking out their services as independent contractors, we can absolutely recommend and facilitate that connection.
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FEATHER PHOTO for Future Ancestors Services
TAYLOR BURK for Calgary Tourism
FEATHER PHOTO for Future Ancestors Services
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ALLISON SETO for Arc'teryx
Learn more about our story through their words.
Ask away, we aren’t shy, and we love connecting with curious minds!
If you have a media request or don’t find the answers you’re looking for in our FAQ section, don’t hesitate to reach out. Drop us a message at info@futureancestors.ca, and we’ll be happy to help or point you in the right direction.
Step into our world and experience the purpose behind every decision we make.
The Original Caregivers of These Lands
While currently known as Calgary, we are deeply connected to and operate in Moh’kinsstis (Blackfoot), Wîchîspa (Stoney Nakoda).
For time immemorial, these Lands have been in reciprocal relationship with Her original caregivers: the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprising the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani Nations), the Tsuut’ina Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda Nations (including the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Wesley First Nations). This is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, and here we exist under the Blackfoot Crossing Treaty (Treaty 7).
Black Ancestors of These Lands
We also acknowledge Calgary’s often-overlooked Black history, a history that colonial narratives have frequently erased or diminished. Thanks to the work of historians like Cheryl Foggo, who has unearthed stories of early Black settlers, activists, and community builders, we are reminded that Black communities have long contributed to shaping this city’s cultural and social landscape.
From the arrival of Black settlers fleeing racial violence in the U.S. in the early 20th century to present-day contributions, Black history in Calgary matters deeply. We honor their resilience, resistance, and legacy, knowing that their stories are essential to understanding the full history of these Lands.
At Future Ancestors Services, our name is all about connecting the past, present, and future. We represent the voices of tomorrow, today, with a direction rooted in the Indigenous teachings of future ancestry. This means we understand that our actions today shape the future, and we’re collectively accountable for the choices, resilience, and lessons passed down by those who came before us, and for what we pass on to the next generations.
"I spent nearly a decade immersed in ideation, research, and listening within community and the speaker and contractor field. When travelling internationally for work, education, and volunteering, I saw future ancestry reflected in every Indigenous culture I encountered. It’s a truth that connects us all, and a reminder that our actions and inactions leave lasting impacts, whether we acknowledge them or not. This understanding of cause and effect is something I found missing in many decision-making spaces early in my career, and it’s why I chose the name Future Ancestors Services. It’s a name that carries both purpose and responsibility."
- Larissa Crawford, Founder
Our vision is shaped by the futures our communities have envisioned and worked hard to protect. We believe that by acting with purpose and care today, we can help create a more just and sustainable tomorrow.
That’s why we provide a platform for changemakers and thought leaders, connecting them with meaningful, compensated opportunities to share their stories, ideas, and solutions. By supporting and amplifying their work, we help ensure that the legacies they’re building will leave lasting, positive impacts for generations to come.
Everything we do is guided by our commitment to "wayfinding new pathways.” Wayfinding new pathways means stepping away from systems and practices that no longer serve us (or never did) and creating thoughtful approaches that prioritize healthier work, sustainability, and connection across space and time. These are the principles that guide our wayfinding:
Relational Success
We believe that true success is built on strong, authentic relationships, with a focus on collaboration and intergenerational wisdom.
Transformative Approaches
We are committed to transformative innovation that is grounded in the idea that our practices, actions, and relationships must fundamentally deviate from the causes of harm we are addressing.
Restorative Practice
We center justice, anti-racism, and restorative frameworks in our work, ensuring that our actions, relationships, and practices support healing and reconciliation.Have you noticed how most speaker bureaus follow the same corporate, profit-driven approach—prioritizing high-profile names over real impact and meaningful representation? We have, and research reflects what we’ve seen and experienced: over 75% of organizations report difficulty finding diverse speakers with both lived experience and professional expertise (Diversity & Inclusion Industry Survey, 2023). Many rely on influencers rather than experts, and traditional bureaus often neglect professional development and collaboration, limiting growth and opportunities for underrepresented voices.
We fill this gap by offering a speakers bureau that is led by and exclusively represents the voices too often sidelined. Our tailored pricing structures make it possible for non-profits and activist organizations to afford expert voices, ensuring that smaller budgets don’t mean missing out on transformative engagements. Beyond bookings, we provide our Speakers with mentorship, communities of practice, and growth opportunities, creating a space for collaboration and collective success.
"After providing speaking, training, and research services in Canada for a few years, I noticed a gap: clients seeking to hire diverse speakers, trainers, researchers, and artists had limited spaces and resources to do so. This is a growing concern, especially with the rising demand for diversity and the pushback against systemic racism across sectors.
Instead of competing against other diverse service providers, who also face disproportionate barriers and strive toward the same goals of climate justice and equity, I recognized the opportunity to shift our approach and business model away from the traditional understanding of competition. While our small team delivers services directly, we also uplift and promote others who could be seen as competitors. By amplifying their voices and services, we contribute to shared efforts in creating equitable, sustainable spaces in what is currently Canada and beyond.
This is social innovation in the interest of the well-being of our future generations and Mother Earth."
- Larissa Crawford, Founder
Until 2025, we hadn’t spent a single dollar on marketing, not one! With over 400 clients and no more than 5 active service contractors at a time, our growth came from reputation, word-of-mouth, community-building through social media and fundraising initiatives, and our work speaking for itself. Turns out, when you focus on impact, people notice!
Now, as we grow, we’re finally learning how to use marketing to amplify that impact even further and shine an even brighter spotlight on the incredible Speakers we represent.
We are an incorporated business in Alberta, serving clients globally.
We are a Black, Indigenous, queer, disabled, and woman-led organization; our leadership reflects the communities we serve, and we approach our work with lived experience, cultural understanding, and a dedication to dismantling systems of exclusion.
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ALLISON SETO for Arc'teryx