U of M Native Studies Graduate Student's Association - NSGSA

Hi all! I hope everyone is managing the best they can in these unprecedented times. ❤

This message is being posted to touch base about NSGSA and our conference, Rising Up. There are members that were previously on the planning committee(s) and in NSGSA as at-larges that have met to discuss the possibility of Rising Up moving forward and what that may look like. We are looking for interest in keeping NSGSA going (especially with Native Studies Graduate students) and thoughts about Rising Up 2021 (online? speakers being promoted weekly/biweekly, etc). Please feel free to reach out via our online NSGSA group, Facebook message, or email to share ideas on how to proceed and if you would like to be part of these amazing spaces.

Hello, Tansi, Boozhoo, Haw’aa,
Welcome or welcome back to the Native Studies Department! We are excited to be starting a new year of (online) learning and community building.

We are writing today about some exciting initiatives you might be interested in. The Native Studies Graduate Students’ Association (NSGSA) is the departmental graduate student organization.

You can find out more about the NSGSA here: https://www.facebook.com/UMNSGSA.

The NSGSA is looking for new members!

The NSGSA hosts various events for students in the department, including an annual conference called “Rising Up: Graduate Students’ Conference on Indigenous Knowledges and Research in Indigenous Studies.”
You can see our amazing selection of speakers at https://risingup.online/. This conference has been running since 2016. It is student-run and the committee focuses on creating a welcoming environment for graduate students, upper level undergraduate students, and other attendees. Rising Up was unfortunately cancelled last year due to COVID-19. A few members from the Rising Up conference committee last year are interested in hosting an online version of the conference this year, and we need help to do it! You would be joining a team of dedicated, friendly, and welcoming students. This is a great opportunity to build relationships, especially if you are new to the program and have limited opportunities to meet people with online learning. It’s also a great learning experience for your own development and CV!

Please feel free to email us at [email protected] if you are interested in learning more.

Miigwetch, Ekosi, Kinana'skomitin, Marsi, Haw’aa, thank you,

•Ashley Edson (M.S.W., Rising Up 2020 At-Large)
•Iloradanon Efimoff (Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Psychology, Rising Up 2020 Chair)
•Belinda Nicholson-Wandering Spirit (M.A., Native Studies, NSGSA 2020 Co-president)
•Aimee Rodriguez Louis (Incoming Ph.D. Student (2021), Rising Up 2020 At-Large)

U of M Native Studies Graduate Student's Association - NSGSA University of Manitoba's Native Studies Graduate Student's Association.

An opportunity for involvement in making positive changes. :)

As you may be aware, after two phases of public engagement throughout 2019, on January 30, 2020, Council passed a motion to adopt the Welcoming Winnipeg: Reconciling our History Policy. This policy was developed to guide the City in making decisions regarding requests to create new, add to or remove/rename historical markers and place names and resolve the absence of Indigenous perspectives, experiences and contributions in the stories remembered and commemorated.



A process was established for requesting and implementing initiatives to recognize and commemorate various historical people and events. It includes the creation of a Committee of Community Members (CCM) to provide recommendations, for final decision by Council.



We are connecting with you today to let you know that we are now accepting applications for the Committee of Community Members!



Qualifications for committee members include:

Professional or community work that reflects an applicant’s interest and expertise in Winnipeg’s history and the ongoing impacts and legacy of colonization, locally and internationally;
Skills, education and experience in specific areas (such as research, project evaluation and policy analysis) that would allow an applicant to contribute to committee recommendations and influence change;
Ability to work effectively within a diverse group to collaboratively address a common goal and are willing to work within City of Winnipeg systems and protocols to address municipal issues; and,
Ability to attend meetings on a regular basis, the first meeting is tentatively scheduled for August 12, 2020.


Applications will be accepted until Friday, July 17th, 2020.

Sending love from NSGSA during these uncertain times

Rising Up 2020!

Save the Date for our Annual Conference on Indigenous Topics and Knowledge(s).

Please read 😊
An opportunity to support an Indigenous UofM student's research!
Honorarium also provided:

Participants needed: Indigenous students’ experiences with racism on campus.

My name is Iloradanon Efimoff, and I am a doctoral student at the University of Manitoba, studying under the supervision of Dr. Katherine Starzyk. I identify as Haida and European settler.

I’m messaging to invite you to participate in an interview on your experiences with racism at the University of Manitoba. The study is called “Indigenous students' experiences with racism on campus.” I’m conducting these interviews as part of my Ph.D. research. My goal is to develop educational interventions to reduce prejudice toward Indigenous students at the University of Manitoba.

Why participate? You’ll help me to understand how students experience racism at the University of Manitoba. Your answers will help guide the interventions I create.

I expect the interview will take approximately one hour and participants will receive a $20 honorarium. If you’d like to be involved, please contact me via email at [email protected] and we can set up a time to meet.

Háw’aa, thank you,

Iloradanon Efimoff

List of Activities for Indigenous Day at the Forks (Winnipeg):

SATURDAY, JUNE 22ND

Sunrise Ceremony and Sacred Fire
Oodena Circle – 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Daytime Activities. Free and fun outdoor activities for the whole family! Traditional storytelling and games, Indigenous Day Live powwow, skateboard competition, artisans and food vendors, Best Bannock contest, APTN KIDS zone and much more!

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. IDL Powwow. In partnership with Manito Ahbee.

12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Skateboard demonstration and competition. In partnership with Sk8 Skates. Location: Plaza Skate Park.

1 p.m. - 6 p.m. Cultural Stage. Location: Grounds

2:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m - Mascot Challenge

5 p.m. - 6 p.m - Fiddle Contest

6 p.m.Winnipeg’s Best Bannock Competition

5:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m - Pre-Show Entertainment Location: Main Stage

7 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.Indigenous Day Live Concert Location: Main Stage

Looking forward to all the activites for Indigenous day at the Forks

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