Part of Trans Awareness Month in Canada, the day is observed internationally each year to remember transgender people who have been lost to transphobic violence, suicide and other violent deaths.

At the event, the names of 15 Canadians who died tragically in the last year were read out, with some of the names provided by registered attendees.

“It’s important to understand the question is not about the number of names on the list. Even one name is too many and justifies a solemn day of remembrance like today,” said Kagowa Kuruneri, director of the Rady Faculty Office of Equity, Access and Participation.

“Even more so, we know that these names are only a partial record. Others are not only lost to us, but hidden to us – hidden by issues and biases in the data … and by secrecy, by individuals not being able to be open and be their true selves.”

Kuruneri hosted the event, which was organized by her office, Ongomiizwin – Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing and the Queer and Trans Health Sciences Graduate Student Group.

Elder Charlotte Nolin, a two-spirit Elder-in-residence at Ongomiizwin, noted this was the first time the faculty held a Transgender Day of Remembrance event.

“It won’t be the last,” she said.

Nolin shared some of her own spiritual journey and urged those in attendance to speak out when they witness discrimination toward trans people.

“What I ask of each and every one of you, as you move forward from this day, is if you’re in polite society or you’re at home with your family and somebody says a derogatory term for trans folks, that you will speak up,” she said.

Other speakers included Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Uzoma Asagwara and Dr. Peter Nickerson, vice-provost (health sciences) and dean of Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.

Asagwara is the first non-binary MLA in Manitoba and has a background in psychiatric nursing. They said Nov. 20 is a solemn day that carries a lot of weight.

“It is really important for government to be very clear on days like this about how we feel, where we stand on issues that relate to the 2SLGBTQ+, specifically trans and two-spirit communities,” Asagwara said.

“This is a day for us to reflect on those who are no longer with us, but it is also an important day to reflect on what we can do to ensure that as many of the people in our communities as possible remain here, that they know every space that they enter has them in mind.”

Nickerson said it is important that all people on campus feel that they can be their authentic selves.

“We teach that there is no place in health care for any form of bias, prejudice or discrimination. Beyond that, we expect our students and graduates to be committed allies for equity, seeking to be advocates of social justice and human rights,” he said.

“With fundamental rights under threat in many parts of the world, it is more important than ever that we support the safety of transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people.”

Following the ceremony, attendees were invited to the Medicine Garden, Mashkiki Gitigaan, for a sacred fire and to offer tobacco.

The Grade 11 student at St. Mary’s Academy said she’s thinking about going into nursing because she likes caring for people, and many of her family members are nurses.  

Participants learned how to use a stethoscope at the nursing workshop.

At the nursing workshop, she was hoping to gain some insight into what it’s really like to be a nurse.  

“Nursing can be portrayed in different ways, especially in the media. So, I just want to get a feel for what it is actually like,” said Guarang, while watching other high school students use stethoscopes on a training mannequin.  

Guarang is one of more than 370 participants from 80 high schools across Winnipeg and the surrounding area who had the opportunity to learn about careers in the health sciences. And seventeen students travelled from northern communities.  

The Rady Faculty of Health Sciences has co-hosted Discovery Days with the London, Ont.-based Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (CMHF) for the past 24 years.  

More than 20 faculty-led workshops offered the high school students a chance to explore different fields in the health sciences – from dentistry and family medicine to medical microbiology and pharmacy.  

Harsahij Brar (left) takes part in the family medicine workshop.

Harsahij Brar, a Grade 10 student at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate, wants to become a physician and thought Discovery Days was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the field of medicine. He thought the family physician workshop was fascinating.  

“I’ve seen stitching, but I’ve never seen how suturing is done, and it was really cool seeing the different types of stitches you can do, and the different biopsy tools they use. It was pretty interesting,” Brar said.  

Cyrill Martinez, a Grade 11 student at Sisler High School, took part in the dentistry workshop because she’s interested in going into dental hygiene.  

“I’m interested in cleaning. I’m very detailed. I like working with my hands. It’s an extrovert job, so I enjoy talking with people and working with others,” Martinez said.  

The day started in the Frederic Gaspard Theatre with opening remarks by Nani Moleko, director of development at the CMHF, and Dr. Jim Butler, associate dean, undergraduate medical education, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.   

Dr. Harvey Chochinov, distinguished professor of psychiatry at the Max Rady College of Medicine and 2020 CMHF laureate, presented a message to his teenage self. In his message, he said very few people, if any, would get in the way of him fulfilling his dreams.  

“You will be your biggest obstacle,” Chochinov said. “Your own self-doubt will cause you to stumble on occasion more so than anyone else trying to trip you up. You’re going to have an extraordinary privilege of working to make the world a little bit better, so have faith in the future, have faith in yourself …”  

Dr. Marlyn Cook

Dr. Marlyn Cook, a member of the Misipawistik Cree Nation, gave the keynote lecture. When she graduated from the UM medical school in 1987, she became the first First Nations woman to graduate from medicine in Manitoba.  

Cook has practiced medicine in several First Nations communities in Manitoba and Ontario. She combines traditional medicine with Western medical practice.  

Cook shared her inspiring journey and encouraged the students.  

“You can do anything you set your mind to, all of you. Whatever it is you want to do, you can just do it. And be aware of your thoughts. Your thoughts create your reality. Negative thoughts do not cause a positive life. You always have to stay positive and see the silver lining in every cloud. And take care of your body and your mind and your spirit,” Cook said.   

Following the keynote lecture, the students attended two workshops, and the event ended with a career panel discussion and a Q&A session.

Watch highlights of Discovery Days on Instagram. 

Fill out the Campus Commute Survey between October 20-31, 2025 for a chance to win:

• A $500 grocery store gift certificate, or
• One of ten $50 food vouchers for Degrees, Campo or Starbucks.

Results of the Campus Commute Survey inform strategic planning around transportation related infrastructure, education and peer-based programs in support of climate action, sustainability and wellness goals.

This year’s Campus Commute Survey aims to better capture our fall travel patterns, along with our typical year-round transportation needs.

Take the 2025 Campus Commute Survey now.

You can also complete the Campus Commute Survey in-person at an upcoming survey lounge. Grab a free cookie or muffin, and complete your survey in one of the following locations:

• Drake Centre, Monday, October 20, 11AM – 1PM
• Dafoe Library, Wednesday, October 22, 11AM – 1PM
• Brodie Atrium, Bannatyne campus, Thursday, October 23, 11AM – 1PM
• UMSU University Centre, Thursday, October 30, 11AM – 1PM

This survey is approved by the UM Survey Review Committee and managed by the Green Action Centre, and all responses are completely confidential. Only aggregated results are reported back to the University.

The survey is organized biennially by the Office of Sustainability. Previous surveys took place in 2023, 2020, 2018 and 2016 (inaugural).

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact the Office of Sustainability at sustainability[at]umanitoba.ca.

Lisa Mendez, OIPC collaborative health care practice lead and instructor at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, and Maura Macaulay, a fourth-year student at the Max Rady College of Medicine, each received a star blanket at the community’s annual women’s gathering on Sept. 7.   

The program – called ‘Ndinawemaaganag’ (Anishinaabemowin for ‘all my relations’) – is supported by the RBC Experiential Learning Travel Initiative. 

Esther Cook, health director of the Misipawistik Cree Nation Health Authority, thanked Mendez for bringing the program to Misipawistik and continuing to bring health-care students to the community’s Sundance and women’s and men’s gatherings.  

“I’m really thankful for her and that she reached out and wanted to bring this project to our community. I have a hard time trusting people, but her I trust with my heart,” Cook said. “It is important that the general population see Indigenous people as who we really are, not what negative media portrays us to be. This program does that.” 

Ndinawemaaganag began in 2017 as a two-week experience for health profession students in the Rady Faculty to learn together in First Nation health centres and nursing stations. After hosting students for one year, Cook suggested that the students also attend a Sundance – a sacred ceremony that is centered in spirituality, community and nature – to better learn about health and healing in her community.  

The program has now evolved to include other ceremonies and camps around the province. Among those events is the women’s gathering, a five-day event held once a year in late August or early September, around the full moon.  

Mendez said she is grateful for the relationship with the community, as it has created the trust needed for the program to evolve organically in a way that is meaningful to students and the community.  

“I’m so honoured to receive this blanket. It represents my connection to community and my commitment and responsibility to continue to move this work forward in a good way,” she said. 

“Although I’m an instructor, the community does the teaching here. My strength is building bridges to support meaningful and authentic engagement between learners and First Nation communities. It’s a privilege to support opportunities where Sundance lodges, sweat lodges and nature are the classroom.”  

Macaulay has been taking part in the program for the last four years and has attended Sundances and women’s gatherings. She said it’s important for her, as a medical student, to be exposed to Indigenous ceremonies and traditional medicine. 

“One of the things I try to keep in mind as a settler and a medical student is one of the [Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada] calls to action, for people in the health-care system to have an understanding of the value of traditional medicine and to help people access that,” she said. 

Macaulay said Ndinawemaaganag has been valuable in making connections with students in other health disciplines, including nursing, physical therapy and midwifery, as well as the traditional healers she met in the community. 

“Going forward, I’ll be able to refer my patients to those people and also have a deeper understanding of what they have to offer, because hearing that there’s a benefit to traditional medicine in the classroom is one thing, but it’s another to experience it first-hand.” 

The community also honoured Macaulay in a ceremony last year with the spirit name, “Medicine woman who walks with the brown grizzly bear.” Mendez said the name carries a lot of honour and responsibility. 

“I feel like a proud mama bear watching Maura learn from and create connections with the community and other learners,” Mendez said. 

Located on the Fort Garry campus, the two-acre plot helps community members grow their own food, share their native culinary traditions and establish meaningful social networks with other immigrants and local community members.

The Bannatyne campus also has a small garden plot, supporting 12 families over the summer months.

Both gardens have seen incredible food volumes this summer, with many families harvesting 50-100 kilograms of produce thus far.

Building community and growing food

The garden was initiated in 2008 by a group of newcomers, including Raymond Ngarboui.

Born in Chad, Ngarboui has been a pillar of community work since arriving in Canada, advocating for healthier living and better integration for new immigrants and refugee families. With degrees in agriculture and community economic development, he has played a key role in the initiation and success of many community food projects and has been recognized for his dedication, earning the UNICEF Canadian National Volunteer Award and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.

Together with the Refugee Immigrants Farming and Integration in Manitoba Inc. (RIFIM) and co-organized by Community Education Development Association (CEDA) and partnerships with Knox Church and the University of Manitoba and others, Ngarboui has grown Rainbow Gardens into a place where hundreds of families gather and grow food.  

In 2025, the Fort Garry Rainbow Gardens supported 313 families, many of them with at least 7 family members.

RIFIM expanded their capacity this year by partnering with Harvest Manitoba to access 200 garden towers. These towers provided 32 new families the opportunity to grow and harvest produce using vertical growing techniques. 

Gardening challenges

Rainbow Gardens faced some gardening woes over the summer, including an early drought and produce theft.

The drought was thankfully lessened by consistent watering made possible through a permanent water supply from UM. Unfortunately, theft was at an all-time high this summer with many families losing their produce. RIFIM kindly asks people to respect the garden and the hard work of the families by not taking any produce.

As the growing season comes to an end, RIFIM is looking for ways to improve next year’s garden. Future projects are to include a shelter from the rain and a private place for breastfeeding mothers. To improve yield and quality of produce, RIFIM is also looking for ways to provide organic fertilizer to the families.

As Sustainability Ambassadors, students will lead and inspire the campus community to learn more about sustainability and explore how sustainability practices can change lives in a positive way. The goal of the program is to enhance student engagement and participation by offering opportunities for students to gain knowledge and skills while supporting the network of sustainability on campus.

How does the Sustainability Ambassador program work?

Applicants to the program will work together to make project plans for the year based on the set theme. The theme for the 2025-26 Sustainability Ambassador program is sustainable transportation. Ambassadors will have an opportunity to work with their teammates to plan engaging and fun events and activities that raise awareness of transit, carpooling, cycling and walking options, while benefitting from career-focused workshops with their peers.

Sustainability Ambassadors will be provided with mandatory skill development workshops and ambassadors will be expected to volunteer 0.5-1 hour per week for the Fall and Winter terms (approximately 20 hours total for the academic year). Students will not have responsibilities during exam periods.

Exemplary Sustainability Ambassadors will receive written letters of support or recommendations for internships and jobs, when requested. Other benefits to joining the program include

• Flexible scheduling
• Career and skill development training and opportunities
• Peer-to-peer networking and UM community outreach
• Engaged learning opportunities
• Experience Record notation upon completion of the program
• Safe, inclusive, dynamic and passionate team to support your work

If you are interested in becoming a Sustainability Ambassador, please visit the Sustainability Ambassador Program website for more details. Applications will be accepted from August 25 – September 12 via the Application Portal.

Newest mural decorates student residence

The newest mural appears in Pembina Hall student residence, freehand painted by Ojibway artist, Jackie Traverse [BFA/09].

Set in a high-traffic hallway where hundreds of students pass through daily, it’s a bold and beautiful sight for those who’ve come from around the world, calling student residence their home away from home.

Titled “The Courage to Walk Your Own Path”, Traverse’s piece draws on one of the Seven Sacred Teachings, courage, echoing the bravery of every student carving their journey far from home.

After five hours of free-hand painting, the once-blank wall now radiates energy to all who pass by.

More to explore…

This piece does not stand alone. If you’ve wandered through the Fort Garry or Bannatyne campuses, you’ve likely seen other bold and impressive artworks brightening shared spaces.

These murals tell stories through symbolism and intricate details, shaped by each artist’s community, lived experiences and unique artistic style.

They reflect Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing—offering familiarity and connection, and inviting reflection and curiosity.

Truth and Reconciliation and Engineering

Just outside the Dean’s Office in the Price Faculty of Engineering, a 9 x 40 ft mural by local Métis artist, Mike Valcourt, sparks dialogue through art.

The mural honours the understanding that Indigenous Peoples were the first engineers, illustrating how innovation has always been tied to Indigenous knowledge systems and deep relationships with land.

“We are aware that some industries have had a greater impact on Indigenous communities than others, and the engineering department acknowledges its role in this. By reminding the academic community of the resilience and voices of Indigenous peoples, this work promotes dialogue and introspection. It’s a nod to the past, and a promise to the future.” – Mike Valcourt

Indigenous health principles

In the Active Living Centre, a vibrant mural by Kristin Flattery, Ozhaawashkwaa Mashkode-Bizhiki (Blue Buffalo Womyn) [BFA(Hons)/17, BEd/20] centers Indigenous knowledge systems.

The mural is a visual re-telling of an Indigenous creation story passed down in Ininew (Cree), Anishinaabe (Ojibway) and Oyate (Dakota) cultures through oral traditions.

The Anishinaabe-Oyate artist depicts a holistic understanding of health in her mural—one that includes spirituality, relationships and the environment—aspects often overlooked in Western approaches to wellness.

“We wanted to create something that inspired a movement in healthy living for everybody, so not only was I trying to promote healthy living and insert our traditional knowledge… I want (the community) to be motivated toward teamwork and helping each other.” – Kristin Flattery

Indigenous youth rise

At the Brodie Centre Atrium on the Bannatyne campus, a mural by Anishinaabe artist Blake Angeconeb, member of Lac Seul First Nation, anchors the heart of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.

Colourful and symbolic, the mural tells a story of little birds beginning their journeys at the bottom. Centered above them is a thunderbird with outstretched wings offering guidance.

Three face figures represent everyone, and smaller thunderbirds soar across the top—symbolizing teachings, growth and our individual journeys.

Honouring truth, legal traditions and belonging

In the Faculty of Law, Anishinaabe artist and second-year law student Jessie Canard painted a mural titled “Turtle Island” outside the Manitoba Indigenous Law Students’ Association (MILSA) office.

The mural depicts the turtle from the Seven Sacred Grandfather teachings, embodying the importance of truth, grounded in Indigenous legal traditions.

This piece is one of four murals greeting you as you enter the MILSA office. The other three are representative of Inuit, Métis and First Nations cultures. Canard hopes her art reminds students of where they come from, helping guide them during their law school journey.

Connections, community and collaborative spirit

Outdoors, the UMCycle building is decorated with vibrant artwork by Ojibwe artist and a member of Skownan First Nation, Dee Barsy [BFA/08] and Métis artist, Kenneth Lavallee [BFA/08], created in collaboration with Elders and community leaders from Migizii Agamik.

The piece reflects themes of movement and connections to land and water, using bold colours and incorporating the medicine wheel.

Both artists emphasized the importance of community involvement and hope the mural inspires more collaborative projects on campus.

Brightening campus and sharing stories

As more students, staff, faculty and visitors encounter these murals and designs, the campus grows into a place where art teaches, reclaims and connects.

They carry meaning that goes beyond aesthetics, inviting everyone on campus to engage with Indigenous art and worldviews in ways that are accessible, lasting and contribute to a sense of belonging.

More Indigenous art across campus:

• New student lounge, mural bring ‘sense of belonging’ to Indigenous nursing students
• New mural connecting Indigenous knowledges and The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning: ‘Hoops for now’ featured at the Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning at 65 Dafoe Road
• ‘For those willing to travel by a different route’ Indigenous Art and Placemaking signs come to Fort Garry campus
• A flurry of underground colour

The Mauro Institute sponsored two events at this Conference. First, St. Paul’s College Foundation Inc. provided a grant from the Blankstein Family Abrahamic Faiths Storytelling Dialogue: Equality and Leadership Fund. Dr. Marjorie Blankstein’s generosity allowed for  , the audience to be moved by the musical performance of the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra (WJO). Opening the Conference on June 15, 2025, Dr. Richard Gillis, Director of WJO, masterfully choreographed several pieces on the theme of Hope. They ranged from Chuck Copenace’s ‘Creator’ to Oscar Peterson’s ‘Hymn to Freedom’ and to Hevenu Shalom Aleinu (Peace Song). But why music? Because as Auerbach is attributed as saying: “Music washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life.” As Dr. Amaladas notes, “in our divided world, there is so much dust that needs to be washed away.”

Second, also supported by the Foundation, the  Dr. Rey Pagtakhan Fund for Ethics, Humanity, and Politics provided funding to host a panel of distinguished citizens who offered their personal testimonies and insights on the relationship between politics and hope.

Moderated by Dr. Christopher Adams, Rector of St. Paul’s College, University of Manitoba the panel featured Dr. Sami Helewa, SJ (President, Campion College, University of Regina), Ms. Tanya Brothers, JD (Vice-Chair, St. Paul’s College Foundation Inc.), Dr. Niigaan Sinclair (Professor, Indigenous Studies, UM), and Ms. Joanne Seiff (Author and Educator).  Each of the panellists explored the core questions of how political relationships can either sustain or sabotage hope for peace, justice, and human dignity—and what we can do to become catalysts for transformational change.

Politics of Belonging: A Testimony of Hope

Dr. Helewa, SJ, a scholar of Islamic and Christian theology, opened the panel with personal reflections rooted in his early life as a stateless person of Palestinian heritage.

“I was born stateless. I belonged to no country, had no birth certificate, and no rights as a citizen,” said Helewa. “I chose to be a Jesuit. I chose specifically to focus on justice and begin a life of service for others.”

Helewa described hope as intrinsically good and argued that politics, at its best, shares this potential: “Hope is due to its intrinsic nature of ‘the good.’ I would say the same with politics… to never be satisfied with the status quo for the sake of just existence.” He advocated for a “politics of belonging” – one that recognizes diversity and inclusion not merely as policies, but as pathways to human flourishing and solidarity.

Hope Rooted in History and Resilience

Winnipeg lawyer and community leader Tanya Brothers grounded her message of hope in a historical account of her maternal family’s migration from Oklahoma to Alberta in the early 1900s, fleeing racist segregation laws.

“When this group arrived at Athabasca Landing, despite being supported by Canadian officials, they faced local hostility and even a proposed Order-in-Council to bar Black immigrants from Canada,” said Brothers.

Despite this, her ancestors endured and built a community in Amber Valley, Alberta. “They had to actively envision what they did not have and set out to create it,” Brothers reflected, “They sustained their hope by fostering community and faith.”

Quoting Martin Luther King Jr., she concluded with a hopeful reminder that “unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”

Love, Reciprocity, and the Earth

Dr. Sinclair urged the audience to move beyond human-centred thinking toward a vision of hope rooted in a creation-centred paradigm.

“Hope is a choice, and everything in creation bends toward love—except us,” said Sinclair. “We are the only beings who kill for no purpose—out of ego, nationalism, or fear. Yet creation teaches reciprocity, cooperation, and resilience. If we want hope, we must re-learn from creation.”

Sinclair called for a politics of sharing and humility: “The only way we get over the winter is by looking to the person beside us, building the lodge together, and sharing food. That is the truth of creation.”

Hope as Daily Action and Human Connection

Closing the panel, writer and educator, Joanne Seiff shared her Jewish tradition’s view of hope as an ongoing act of world repair, or tikkun olam.” We live in a fractured world… and it’s our job to put the broken vessel back together,” said Seiff.

For Seiff, hope is not merely emotional—it’s practical and participatory, emphasizing that fixing real problems through science, education, and civic action is itself an act of faith. We felt her conviction when she concluded: “Hope is work rooted in action rather than belief,,,  It’s about speaking out, building bridges, and fighting hate.”

A Call to Action

As Dr. Adams noted in his closing remarks, the panellists offered more than academic insight—they issued a challenge by calling all to shift their way of thinking and act for the sake of a common good.” Whether by confronting exclusion, re-centring the Earth, honouring ancestral resilience, or practicing daily acts of justice and kindness, each speaker emphasized that hope is not passive—it is participatory.

St. Paul’s College is grateful for our generous donors who assist the Mauro Institute in creating these platforms for our global community to come together to create common ground.

In addition, as Dr. Amaladas acknowledged that for him “hope is a dream of a person fully awake.” To this end, he encourages all to “move forward not as if we are sleepwalking, but rather that we be intentional and purposeful in our quest for peace and social justice.”

Wiiji Bimoseyang Binesi (Thunderbird Helping Them Walk) is a 10-unit facility located next to Sagkeeng Health Centre. The facility is designed to support adult community members living with disabilities and homelessness. 

The project is supported through Kiga mamo anokimin onji minoayawin (“We will work together for health and wellness”), a partnership between the College of Rehabilitation Sciences and over a dozen other Manitoba First Nations communities. Other support has come from the Asper School of Business, Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Sagkeeng Chief and Council, Sagkeeng Health Centre, March of Dimes, Indigenous Service Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. 

Community members Audrey Henderson and Sharon Courchene were the main researchers and developers behind the project. They were hired in 2017 by Sagkeeng Health Centre, for a project called the Southeast Disabilities Initiative, to research the needs for people living with disabilities in four First Nations communities – Brokenhead, Black River, Hollow Water and Sagkeeng.  

Prior to the project, Henderson was a program manager with the federal government and Courchene had previously worked in social work and education. 

“We did a lot of community engagement with the First Nation community members and what we saw was a lot of homelessness in people living with disabilities, both physical and disabilities that you can’t see,” Henderson said. 

The complex celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 22, with the first residents scheduled to move in on June 15. 

“We began discussions years ago about this idea of having a place so people who need supportive housing don’t have to move away from their community. I am so honoured that we were able to be part of that process,” said Dr. Reg Urbanowski, dean of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. 

(L-R) Margaret Hart gets a tour of one of the units at Wiiji Bimoseyang Binesi from Audrey Henderson.

The college continues to support the project through several student initiatives, including the development of a day program for adults with disabilities and fundraising efforts. 

Braydn Matheson was one of six occupational therapy students who worked with the project this year, as part of a course on community engagement. 

The group visited with community members several times throughout the year, either in person or virtually. 

“Our engagement was two-fold. One, the community asked us to do some fundraising to help make the house a home – things like furniture, cutlery, art,” she said. 

“The second part was to create a schedule and plan for daily programming to facilitate the well-being of residents. Things like life-skills groups, mental wellness, daily activities for social wellbeing, and cultural activities. This programming will be run by staff and volunteers from Sagkeeng.”

Matheson said the key to the success of their work was the strong relationships that were established early on, and the existing relationship between the community and course leader Margaret Hart, Indigenous scholar (Ininiw) in the College of Rehabilitation Sciences. 

“I think that’s a really important piece of the puzzle when we’re talking about engaging with Indigenous communities – building that relationship, listening to what the community wants and needs, and following through with actions based in that understanding.”

Hart said that through this project, occupational therapists are walking alongside First Nation communities in a shared journey of advocacy, relationship-building, and the co-creation of culturally safer care.  

“Rooted in a deep respect for truth and reconciliation, this partnership honours the self-determination of Indigenous Peoples and recognizes the strength and wisdom held within communities,” she said.  

“The new space offers more than a facility—it creates a place of connection where students are invited to listen, learn, and respond to the lived realities of Indigenous Peoples. This experience is essential for their growth as future occupational therapists, offering relational practice that supports community-led health and well-being practices.” 

Antonina Kandiurin, 2025 Student Honouree, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Among them is Antonina Kandiurin, a proud Kischewaskahikan Ininew Iskwew (York Factory Cree woman) from Churchill, Manitoba and student in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. She is being recognized for her commitment to making healthcare more efficient, safe and accessible for Indigenous peoples.

Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at age 16, she experienced the deep inequities and harmful gaps in northern healthcare firsthand. Having just completed her first year of medical school, she’s turning that experience into purpose. Driven by a commitment to improve care in northern remote communities, Kandiurin is on a path to become the physician she once needed.

“I’m truly humbled and honoured to receive this award. It is heartwarming to be honoured by the community that has grounded me. I’m so grateful for those who have uplifted me over the years from close friends, family, classmates, professors, support staff and my community back home in Churchill.” — Antonina Kandiurin

Justin Rasmussen, 2025 Staff Honouree and Director of Indigenous Leadership Programming

Justin Rasmussen, a proud Red River Métis Citizen and Director of Indigenous Leadership Programming, is a steady force behind programs like the Indigenous Circle of Empowerment and Bison Spirit Indigenous Leadership.

His natural ability to create inclusive and empowering spaces inspires the next generation of leaders and builds a stronger sense of belonging for Indigenous students across UM campuses.

“I am incredibly honoured to receive this recognition, but I truly do not feel I deserve it on my own.

Supporting Indigenous students is a shared effort rooted in community. I accept this award in recognition of all who have worked, and continue to work, toward making the University of Manitoba a place where Indigenous brilliance can be seen and celebrated.” — Dr. Justin Rasmussen

Now in its ninth year, the tradition of recognizing Honouring the Indigenous Campus Community honourees in a blanketing ceremony continues. The event follows the National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations hosted by Ongomiizwin — Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing.

This year’s honourees include six students, two staff, one faculty and one legacy honouree. Their contributions span diverse fields including healthcare, science, education, architecture and more. They are leaders in rematriation and repatriation, champions of social justice and trusted voices within their communities.

Meet the 2025 Honouring the Indigenous Campus Community honourees:

Student Honourees

Aimée-Mihkokwaniy McGillis, Faculty of Arts

Antonina Kandiurin, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Jory Thomas, Faculty of Architecture

Michaela de Hoop, Faculty of Science

Pahan PteSanWin, Faculty of Arts

Sunday Queskekapow, Faculty of Arts

Staff Honourees

Desiree Morrisseau-Keesick, Indigenous Student Recruitment

Justin Rasmussen, Indigenous Leadership Programming

Faculty Honouree

Rhonda Campbell, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Legacy Honouree

Kirsty Muller, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Congratulations to the 2025 honourees and Happy Indigenous Peoples Day!