Stitching Our Stories Together

Jeannine Carriere identifies as Red River Métis and has focused her academic scholarship on Indigenous child and family services. She was formerly a Professor at the School of Social Work at the University of Victoria. Catherine Richardson is a Métis professor and Director of the Concordia University First Peoples Studies Program. She is a registered clinical counsellor whose research focuses on Indigenous well-being, social service delivery, and recovery from interpersonal and systemic violence.

"These are important scholarly essays for a profession that still has too few Indigenous practitioners." —Jury Citation, 2026 Saskatchewan Book Awards Publishing in Education Prize"Addresses the urgent need to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into social work, particularly in light of the colonialist harm."—BC Booklook“For those wanting to learn about the next thread shaping the tapestry of Indigenous scholarship, Stitching Our Stories Together is a must read.” —Margaret Kovach, University of British Columbia“These teachings of Indigenous ways of knowing and being, written by Indigenous graduate students who share their ideas, stories, and life experiences, open the door for new ways of doing within academia, within social work practice, and within broader society.” —Dr. Sheri M. McConnell, Memorial University“The profound and transformative impact of Indigenous senior scholars uplifting Indigenous graduate students pursuing thesis research is truly remarkable...The intergenerational exchange of knowledge and support creates a powerful legacy, ensuring that the voices and perspectives of Indigenous scholars continue to flourish and inspire future generations.” —Dr. Amanda LaVallee

• ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction by Catherine Richardson and Jeannine Carrière1. Supervision and Mentoring: Beyond the Destination Jeannine Carrière and Catherine RichardsonPART ONE. EMBEDDING CHILD WELFARE RESEARCH INTO INDIGENOUS METHODOLOGIES2. Researching Culturally Informed Approaches: Supporting Indigenous Youth Aging Out of Ministry Care Robert Mahikwa3. A Métis Grandmother’s Knowledge: Stories of Grandmother Teachings and Métis Child Welfare in British Columbia Shelley Lafrance4. An Inquiry Into the Stories of Indigenous Fathers and Their Paths Into Fatherhood: A Narrative Analysis Conducted With Kwakwaka’wakw Fathers Tanille JohnstonPART TWO. ARTS-BASED KNOWLEDGES AND PRACTICES5. centring stories by urban indigiqueers/trans/two-spirit people and indigenous women: on practices of decolonization, collective care, and self-care mel lefebvre6. Stitching Ourselves Back Together: Urban Indigenous Women’s Experience of Reconnecting with Identity through Beadwork Shawna Bowler7. Reconstituting Indigenous Identities through Portraiture and Storytelling: Reclaiming Representation for Indigenous Women and Two-Spirit People Juliet MackiePART THREE. INDIGENOUS BODIES AND MEANING MAKING8. Dancing My Way Home: Cultural Reclamation Through the Embodiment of the Michif Language Victoria May9. Researching Through miyo ohpikinâwasowin (Good Child-Rearing): A Framework for Knowledge Emergence and Transmission Lindsay DuPré10. Fat Bodies in Space: Explorations of an Alternate Narrative N. Katie WebbConclusion by Jeannine Carrière and Catherine RichardsonEpilogue Contributors