Innovative program pledges to engage 35,000 Canadian middle and high school students in 2026
2026 JUNO Award nominee Snotty Nose Rez Kids perform live at Winnipeg launch event
Your Voice is Power, a national educational program and remix competition that teaches computer science and coding skills to middle and high school students using music from Indigenous artists, today launched its 2026 edition with a special event in Winnipeg, Manitoba featuring Indigenous Hip Hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids.
Close to 100 students from Edmund Partridge Community School, OV Jewitt Community School, Elmwood High School and Maples Collegiate attended the event, where they remixed music from artists including Aysanabee, Sebastian Gaskin, Dakota Bear, Jayli Wolf and Samian using EarSketch, a free online code editor available in English, French, Ojibwe, and Inuktitut.
Snotty Nose Rez Kids, an Indigenous Hip Hop duo nominated for a 2026 JUNO Award (Rap Single of the Year for the song "DUMB" - SonReal & Snotty Nose Rez Kids) performed a selection of their latest music and shared their insights on how music is a tool for reconciliation.
Your Voice is Power gives students from all backgrounds the opportunity to build digital skills at an early stage of their education, preparing them for future studies and in-demand career paths.
After reaching more than 30,000 students in 2025, Your Voice is Power plans to engage more than 35,000 across Canada in 2026. The program lesson plan features eight modules that teach the basics of coding while engaging students in discussions on the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis experience in Canada, including topics like Residential Schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.
Your Voice is Power is a flagship initiative of Amazon Future Engineer Canada, a computer science and STEM education program that seeks to afford all young people the opportunity to realize their potential, in partnership with Amazon Music and education charity TakingITGlobal.
“Amazon is committed to making a positive impact on local communities, with a strong legacy of preparing young people for in-demand future careers working alongside partners like TakingITGlobal. Your Voice is Power has inspired thousands of students at a pivotal time in their education, and we’re excited to reach even more Canadians in 2026,” said Eva Lorenz, Country Manager at Amazon Canada.
"Amazon Music has a long history of championing Indigenous artists, from dedicated playlists to initiatives like the Indigenous Song Camp. Your Voice is Power takes that commitment further by connecting students with the music and stories that matter, and we're proud to be part of this program for a fifth consecutive year," said John Murphy, Head of Amazon Music & Podcasts, Canada.
The Your Voice is Power curriculum is available at no cost to teachers and students in grades 7 through 12. The curriculum was built by TakingITGlobal with extensive year-long collaborations with the Cloud Innovation Centre at the University of British Columbia (UBC) that involved hundreds of hours of consultation and review. The UBC CIC, which is a private/public collaboration between Amazon Web Services (AWS) and UBC, facilitated connections to Indigenous experts, students and alumni as well as to UBC faculty.
All participants are encouraged to submit their remixes to a competition in which two winners – one Indigenous, one identifying as an ally – will receive $5,000 (CAD) scholarships. The deadline to submit entries to the 2026 student competition is June 30, 2026, and the winners will be selected in the summer.
Amazon Music ‘Your Voice is Power’ Playlist
Amazon Music subscribers across Canada are able to stream an exclusive Your Voice is Power playlist, spotlighting Indigenous artists including Twin Flames, Jayli Wolf, Dakota Bear, Samian, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Ribbon Skirt, and many others featured in the program. This playlist features music celebrating themes of perseverance and determination, showcasing foundational moments in music spanning 30+ years of music making.
For more information, visit YourVoiceisPower.ca.
