Walking for Justice: When Research Meets Action

Two days ago, my research team and family joined a powerful walk for Indigenous women's justice in Thompson, Manitoba. We walked to interrupt Indigenous-specific racism in prenatal and birth care—a racism that has no place in healthcare systems meant to nurture life. We walked to restore the ceremony and celebration of birth to Indigenous families, acknowledging that birth is not merely a medical event but a sacred moment that deserves to be honored with cultural integrity and joy. This walk emerged from our CIHR-funded health systems intervention grant, "Ikiskawasoot" (She Carries Life), and it represents what I believe research must be: both a generator of knowledge and a catalyst for justice.
Indigenous women across Canada face systemic barriers and discrimination during one of life's most vulnerable moments—bringing new life into the world. The data tells us what Indigenous communities have known for generations: that racism in healthcare is not only real but can be deadly. When Indigenous women are denied cultural practices, face racism and mistreatment, or are separated from their communities during birth, we fracture the sacred bonds that support new life and the next generation. This is not just a healthcare failure; it's a human rights issue that demands immediate action. It's a legacy of cultural genocide. It must end now

I've come to believe that research without action is incomplete. Knowledge generation that doesn't challenge injustice isn't living up to its potential. "Ikiskawasoot" has taught me that meaningful research doesn't stop at publications—it walks in the streets, it challenges systems, it stands with communities demanding change. To my fellow researchers: our work must do more than document harm. It must dismantle it. It must create space for ceremony, celebration, and justice. Because research that doesn't serve the people it's about isn't really serving anyone at all.
CIHR Grant: https://lnkd.in/ev4EGmAp
Voices of women are medicine: https://lnkd.in/evzRXGk5