Uncomfortable truths: Teaching about race and anti-Indigenous racism in the classroom

Cheryl Ward; Melody Morton Ninomiya; Michelle Firestone

doi:10.55146/ajie.v54i1.1044

Authors

Cheryl Ward Anti-Indigenous Racism Educator, Independent Consultant, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Melody Morton Ninomiya Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0196-3410
Michelle Firestone MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55146/ajie.v54i1.1044

Keywords:

racism, Indigenous, colonisation, education, anit-racism, anti-Indigenous racism

Abstract

Anti-Indigenous racism education is often framed as a way to improve non-discriminatory care for Indigenous peoples. This study asked: What happens when anti-Indigenous racism is taken up by educators? What makes it challenging to manage in an adult classroom? What strategies are (un)successful? Ten adult educators participated—Indigenous (n = 4), White (n = 3) and non-Indigenous People of Colour (n = 3)—in either an interview or focus group. A phenomenological approach guided interpretation of participant narratives. Findings revealed persistent anti-Indigenous racist violence in adult educational settings. Successfully challenging anti-Indigenous racism required deep educator knowledge, self-awareness, cultural humility and strong facilitation skills. The traumatic toll on Indigenous educators and differing responses to resistance highlighted how racism is experienced and addressed differently by Indigenous, non-Indigenous People of Colour and White educators. This study provides empirical evidence for the need for pedagogical strategies that improve cultural safety, support educators and meaningfully confront anti-Indigenous racism in adult education classrooms.

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Author Biographies

Cheryl Ward, Anti-Indigenous Racism Educator, Independent Consultant, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Dr Cheryl Ward is Kwakwaka'wakw and a member of the ‘Namgis First Nation from northern Vancouver Island. She and her family have been living as guests on the territory of the Snuneymuxw people for the past twenty years. Deeply committed to social justice education, decolonizing anti-racism training, and the development of Indigenous cultural safety pedagogy, Cheryl has more than twenty-five years of experience working on initiatives focusing on Indigenous cultural safety (ICS) and anti-Indigenous racism. In 2008, she lead the curriculum design and implementation of what would become the San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) Training Program. Since 2010, the San’yas program has trained more than 2000,000 people across Canada. In 2021 Cheryl began consulting work, with the focus on organizational change and examining the structural barriers to Indigenous Cultural Safety and meaningful systems change.

Melody Morton Ninomiya, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Dr Melody E Morton Ninomiya is a bi-cultural (Japanese and Swiss-German Mennonite) Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences and Canada Research Chair in Community-Driven Knowledge Mobilization and Pathways to Wellness at Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada. Much of her research is related to projects initiated and driven by First Nations in Canada – related to community mental wellness, health and wellness asset mapping, and/or mental health, addictions, and healthy pregnancies.

Michelle Firestone, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Dr Michelle Firestone is a Settler Canadian with eastern European ancestry who has recently launched an independent consulting practice. She worked for over 15 years as a researcher at the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto and for 6 years as assistant professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. Dr. Firestone has been involved in innovative teaching and research on the social determinants of health, applying interdisciplinary community-based approaches to Indigenous health research and knowledge translation.

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