Knowledge 2eekerS emerged as a means of creating space for Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQ+ folks with an interest in community-based research to learn, gather, and reflect on their experiences navigating academia and research. Following extensive community consultation in its inception, Knowledge 2eekerS quickly deviated from the Investigaytors leadership program to embody the interests, values, and teachings of Indigenous groups across Turtle Island. With an active group of 13 members, sessions were hosted weekly via Zoom from October 2023 - March 2024. Sharing Two-Spirit perspectives and stories guided Knowledge 2eekerS in a way that encouraged participants to envision research as a means of returning to and contributing to the collective benefit of their communities. Systemic erasure and colonization have long silenced Two-Spirit people, but research is one area leading the resurgence and reclamation of Two-Spirit identities and the unearthing of these diverse histories. What does it mean to be an Indigenous person working in research? How can the interests, needs, and rights of Indigenous people be honoured through every step of the research process? Recognizing the complicated history between research and Indigenous people, how can an understanding of the past inform a future in research that honours the contribution and experience of Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQ+ people? Knowledge 2eekerS strived to explore in-depth these and other questions impacting Two-Spirit people in community-based research. Below we will explore the process, implementation, and impact of Knowledge 2eekerS in its initial pilot launch in 2023.
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