About Us
Welcome to our learning constellation. Learn more about who we are and the work we do.
Our Vision
Through our work, we seek to:
1) Improve the lives of Indigenous individuals and families by living our knowledges, languages, and food/medicine ways.
2) Enable Indigenous communities to uphold their ancestral responsibilities to their lands and waters.
3) Bolster and amplify Indigenous resurgence actions to improve wellbeing of Indigenous communities.
Our Approach
Our methodologies are necessarily diverse, drawing primarily from Indigenous theory/praxis and secondarily from a variety of Western academic disciplines (e.g., anthropology, linguistics, ethnobotany). Western theories and methods are strategically involved in the research when useful and generative. A key concept employed is Lived Research. In her award-winning book, We Are Dancing for You: Native Feminisms and the Revitalization of Women’s Coming-Of-Age Ceremonies, Hoopa scholar Cutcha Risling Baldy demonstrates a Lived Research methodology that involves living and working in community, working with one’s own extended family, and participating directly and intentionally in the practice of cultural reclamation. CORR builds upon this approach through a “Living Indigenous Knowledges” approach, where “living” describes Lived Research and the recognition that our knowledges, languages, and the land are active participants in our resurgence. This work feeds our connection to our first relations (plants, animals, water, etc.) and builds knowledge through cultural practice, dialoging, theorizing, and reflection within and across communities.
Who We Are
Get to know each of the stars in the learning constellation and the work they are doing to revitalize Indigenous lands, waters, languages, and cultures.
Meet the Stars
Māori
Anishinaabe
Kānaka Maoli
Nuchatlaht Tribe
Meet the Simon Fraser University Team
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Nicholas Reo
Principal Investigator; Canada Excellence Research Chair in Coastal Relationalities and Regeneration
I'm a faculty member in the Department of Indigenous Studies at Simon Fraser University. I'm an enrolled member of the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. As an Anishinaabe community member, I am always learning and trying to share what I know in a responsible way.
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Natahnee Winder
Co-Researcher
Dr. Natahnee Winder is a citizen of the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe and first descendent of the Navajo Nation, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe and the Southern Ute Tribe. She is an Assistant Professor of Indigenous Studies and the School of Public Policy at Simon Fraser University. Dr. Winder's research interests are Health & Well-being, Indigenous Education, Ethnic & Race Relations, Community Based Participatory Research, Indigenous Research, and Qualitative Research.
Chelsey Geralda Armstrong
Co-Researcher
Chelsey Geralda Armstrong is an assistant professor in Indigenous Studies and associate member in the School of Resource and Environmental Management at SFU. She is a historical ecologist and archaeologist supporting Nuchatlaht-led archaeological and heritage management work on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Zoe Todd
Co-Researcher
Dr. Zoe Todd (she/they) is a fish nerd, artist, and writer from Alberta, Canada. They are a proud citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation. Dr. Todd is Tier II Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Governance and Freshwater Fish Futures at Simon Fraser University. They run a community-oriented collective, the Institute for Freshwater Fish Futures, which brings together artists, storytellers, scientists, community leaders, and others to promote vibrant collective futures for humans and fish across diverse watersheds. You can check out their work at fishphilosophy.org.
Cassidy Acheson
Knowledge Mobilization Specialist
Cassidy (she/her) is a settler researcher and knowledge mobilizer based on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) lands. With a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (Indigenous Studies and History), she focuses on building relationships and helping turn research into action through community-driven approaches.
Mark Campbell
Research Project Manager
Mark has been facilitating research at SFU since 2009 and is assigned to the Coastal Relationalities and Regeneration team as lead administrator.
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Vinisha Chaudhary
Research Grants & Projects Coordinator
I'm a Research Grants & Projects Coordinator at the Institutional Strategic Awards at Simon Fraser University. Working with Dr. Reo, I provide comprehensive project support in the development and delivery of the Coastal Relationalities and Regeneration (CORR) research program. I'm looking forward to the meaningful work emerging from CORR, an Indigenous-led initiative that fosters community collaboration.