Episode 2: Education
How can we engage and empower Indigenous communities, students and families in a system that has been used as a weapon against them? In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Kiera Brant-Birioukov and Nick Bertrand to discuss ways in which we move away from placing Indigenous Education under the scope of "Equity" to a place where Indigenous Education is about upholding and respecting Indigenous rights.
About our Guests
Dr. Kiera Brant-Birioukov
Kiera (Kaia’tanó:ron) Brant-Birioukov is a Haudenosaunee (Kanyen’keha:ka) educator and educational theorist from Kenhtè:ke, also known as Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, ON. She is a certified teacher in Ontario and British Columbia and is committed to ethical Indigenous education across all K-12 and post-secondary classrooms.
Kiera has been published in peer-reviewed academic journals and book chapters on defining reconciliation, teacher education, curriculum renewal, Indigenous resilience, and ethical Indigenous education.
With a focus on community partnerships and knowledge resurgence, Brant-Birioukov draws upon autobiography, language revitalization, curriculum studies, traditional teachings, Creation Stories, and educational theory in her research. Some of her current projects include the repatriation of historical Haudenosaunee stories, artifacts, and journal diaries to communities across the Six Nations Confederacy, as well as collaborating in the knowledge mobilization of Indigenous-Settler food sovereignty through the Earth to Tables Legacies project.
Nick Bertrand
Nick is a proud Kanyenkeha:ka and member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte. He is a father, partner, uncle, and educator. Like many Indigenous People, coming from a family background that has been deeply impacted by colonization, sharing truth alongside messages of hope and resiliency through the vehicle of education is what interests and drives Nick.
Nick has worked in education for over 15 years in many roles including: an OCT certified teacher, a school board Indigenous Education Lead, and more recently supporting the work of Indigenous Education on a provincial level.
Grounded by the incredible support and generosity of Elders, Knowledge Keepers, community, family, and friends has allowed Nick to share space in a variety of educational settings. In life and in the education world, to move forward with a good mind, Nick has always believed that the foundation of this journey is rooted in strong relationships built on respect, understanding, and reciprocity.