To help protect the land, the water, and future generations, Clint Jacobs, Candy Donaldson, and Catherine Febria all from the Department of Integrative Biology together created the Indigenous Guardians Endowment Fund to support training programs for youth, research and stewardship jobs, and community projects and collaborations.
Dr. Febria, a professor of integrative biology, calls it a great initiative in support of Indigenous stewards and future generations.
"Many of the Indigenous youth that we support work outside of the University, usually as guardians in their home communities or across their traditional territory," she says. "As those of us at UWindsor work to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, Lands and Waters, a limitation has been flexible supports that can be directed to individuals and groups to participate in science-based training and collaborations in ways that honours culture, spirit, and self-determination without added requirements of being a registered student or meeting deliverables of research grants."
The team has set a fundraising goal of $25,000 to move the fund into endowment status, making support accessible sooner to Indigenous Guardians.
Anyone can donate any amount, for themselves or on the behalf of others, by visiting the Indigenous Guardians Endowment Fund link. All donors will receive a charitable tax donation receipt.
The fund was launched in 2023 after many instances of navigating barriers to promote and enable participation of Indigenous youth and community members in science spaces.
"I always knew that the work we would pursue together and through UWindsor collaborations was not just science but also a more ethical, reciprocal process rooted in relationships," says Febria. "It's clear that what is required is long-term investment in the future generations and relationships with People and Place."
The grant is currently administered by Febria, Jacobs, and Donaldson, who have worked together over the years on collaborations with Walpole Island First Nation as well as such UWindsor projects as the National Urban Park Hub. The fund is created with support from the University of Windsor's Advancement Office and Faculty of Science.
For more information, go to the Healthy Headwaters Lab website.
