Episode 62: Laura Forsythe

In Episode 62 Dr. Nicholas Ng-A-Fook interviews Dr. Laura Forsythe a Michif Assistant Professor at the University of Winnipeg in the Faculty of Education. She is the elected Bison Local Chairperson of the Manitoba Métis Federation, the official democratic and self-governing political representation of the Red River Métis. Her kinship ties include the Huppe, Ward, Berard, Morin, Lavallee, and Cyr lines. Her ancestors worked for the Northwest and Hudson’s Bay Companies, fought in the Victory of Frog Plain, and owned Lot 31, the site of a contemporary Métis space called Pakan Town. Her research focuses on Métis-specific contributions to the academy, Métis inclusion efforts, Métis research methodologies, and educational sovereignty. We discussed the following: Our academic leaves, her journey toward becoming a Métis scholar, responding to the historical erasure of Métis women from the academy, sharing Métis  scholarship Around the Kitchen Table, honouring the intergenerational contributions and advocacy of Métis grandmothers and aunties, Pawaatamihk: Journal of Métis Thinkers, Mawachihitotaak (Let’s Get Together) a national Métis network, creation of Métis spaces, and so much more.