Post-secondary institutions are not the most accessible spaces for Indigenous students, particularly students from rural and remote communities.

To attend, students often have to leave their home communities, cultures and families with the intent of pursuing their academic dreams and goals. This fireside chat will explore the issues associated with the exclusivity of western knowledge institutions and the successes and challenges of bringing higher learning directly to Indigenous students within their home communities. Shady Hafez, will share his insights and experiences in developing and teaching post-secondary content for on-reserve students with the hopes of better informing a structural breakdown of the exclusivity of academic knowledge and systems.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Shady Hafez (he/him) is an Algonquin Anishinabe and Syrian member of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg. Shady is currently a PhD student in Sociology at the University of Toronto, a Yellowhead Institute Research Fellow and is also the Projects Manager to the National Association of Friendship Centres. With over 15 years’ experience working directly with and for Indigenous communities, Shady has supported communities in the development of programs and services related to health and social well-being to cultural resurgence and political and economic autonomy. Additionally, Shady has worked extensively in Indigenous specific education, having taught in the Indigenous Wellness and Addictions Program through Canadore College, the First Nations Technical Institute and worked in developing on-line Indigenous focused curriculums. These experiences have given Shady insights into the successes and challenges related to the development and delivery of higher learning for Indigenous communities.