Patti Laboucane-Benson has dedicated her life to helping Aboriginal families. She is a proud Métis woman and works as the Director of Research, Training and Communication at Native Counselling Services of Alberta. She has a Ph.D. in Human Ecology, with a focus in Aboriginal Family Resilience. She has also been the recipient of the Aboriginal Role Model of Alberta Award for Education. In partnership with artist Kelly Mellings, Laboucane-Benson is the author of the graphic novel The Outside Circle, which represents Laboucane-Benson’s passion for the health, safety and education of the Aboriginal community.

The Outside Circle

In The Outside Circle, two Aboriginal brothers surrounded by poverty, drug abuse, and gang violence, try to overcome centuries of historic trauma in very different ways. Pete, a young Aboriginal man wrapped up in gang violence, lives with his younger brother, Joey, and his heroin-addicted mother. One night, Pete and his mother’s boyfriend, Dennis, get into a big fight, which sends Dennis to the morgue and Pete to jail. Initially, Pete keeps up ties to his crew until a jail brawl forces him to realize the negative influence he has on Joey. This encourages him to begin a process of rehabilitation that includes traditional Aboriginal healing circles and ceremonies.

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