Authentic voices

I am trying to read something indigenous/metis every day.  Today I finished "Metis Wisdom: Learning and Teaching Across the Cultures" by Carole Leclair.  In this short article she speaks about finding her voice in academia as an indigenous person and that while often silence is easier and more comfortable that our genuine voices, that authentic communication is not possible without pushing through those feelings of discomfort.  She includes as part of this push the need to balance the further pressures for "acedemeese" with authentic indigenous voice, that is rooted firmly in story and ancestors.  This piece reminded me of my experiences this summer using an Okanagan story to facilitate the strategic planning session with our senior management.  Have you found this balance?  This seems like the work of many days and years.