Breaking down barriers to post-secondary education using cultural teachings and Indigenous ways of knowing.

Breaking down barriers to post-secondary education using cultural teachings and Indigenous ways of knowing.

First Nations Studies Master of Arts student Cheri Brown’s research is working to bring a more holistic framework to academia, rooted in place-based knowledge and a reverence for equity for all beings.

“I chose UNBC for my graduate studies because of its location in northern B.C., its strong ties to my Nation and the University’s commitment to meaningfully enact Truth and Reconciliation,” says Cheri, a member of the Nisga’a Nation in the Nass River Valley.

With a focus on Indigenous post-secondary attainment and student lived experience, the scholar shared her latest study with members of the University community at an Indigenous graduate research showcase co-hosted by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives and the Office of the Provost.

Committed to advancing social justice for Indigenous Peoples and other marginalized groups, Cheri’s work is reshaping how knowledge is understood and valued within universities.

“By conducting my research through an Indigenous cultural lens, my goal is to support pathways to post-secondary education for all students and, beyond that, to contribute to breaking down colonial mindsets and outdated ideals of privilege in academia.”