FASS News

FASS Reconciling Curriculum Grant Showcase 2026

March 11, 2026

by Robyn Humphreys

In academia and beyond, incorporating Indigenous ways of learning is an overdue and crucial steps towards reconciliation. The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) developed the Reconciling Curriculum Grant Program to support disseminating Indigenous knowledge to our SFU community. The strategies are varied from in-class teachings to research project to hands-on experience.

Administered by the FASS Reconciliation Working Group, these grants support initiatives to not only Indigenize FASS curricula, but also to support cultural awareness training, professional development, and assist in strengthening partnerships with Indigenous knowledge holders in the community. The program looks to support individual faculty members and academic units to take “constructive action on addressing the ongoing legacies of colonialism and the work of reconciliation” in their teaching. Applications to the program have increased year upon year, resulting in several promising projects.

Five of these projects were highlighted at the recent FASS Reconciling Curriculum Grant Showcase which took place on February 11 at the First Peoples’ Gathering House at SFU.

Announcing the recipients of the 2026 Reconciling Curriculum Grants. Congratulations!

John Bird, History: Indigenous Resistance, Sovereignty, and Resurgence and History of Indigenous Peoples of North America Since 1850
Xinying Hu, Labour Studies: Promoting Indigenous Knowledge in Labour Studies
Sophie McCall, English: Bringing Home Conversations with Khahtsahlano
Kamala Todd, Urban Studies: Learning with Lands, Waters, and Relations

Reconciling Curriculum Showcase Presentations

Natahnee Winder
Indigenous Studies; Public Policy

Lower Division Course Grant 2024/2025

Indg 211: Researching Residential Schools

Winder developed an interdisciplinary course investigating the global impact of residential schools on Indigenous populations in Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Canada, Greenland, and the United States. While the course introduces students to the international context, it mostly focuses on a comparative analysis of residential schools within Canada and the United States. Through a combination of archival research and community engagement, students analyze the historical trauma caused by these colonizing institutions while highlighting the enduring resilience and agency of Indigenous peoples. The curriculum incorporates diverse learning methods, such as photovoice projects and guest lectures, to help students understand the ongoing systemic consequences of colonial education.

Meg Holden
Urban Studies

Upper Division Course Grant 2019/2020

Workshop development connecting Urban Studies to Local communities

Holden’s project bridges the gap between academic urban theory and Indigenous knowledge of sustainability though land-based learning workshops led by Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh cultural practitioners. These efforts aim to foster lasting, respectful relationships between the university and local First Nations while providing students and faculty with practical insights into Indigenous rights and colonial impacts. The work integrates diverse perspectives into urban sustainable development research, ensuring that future urban planning is grounded in the specific history and language of the land.

Leith Davis
English

Community Based Partner Development Grant 2024/2025

Connecting Indigenous Perspectives to Scottish Studies

Davis’ project integrates Indigenous perspectives into the traditionally Eurocentric field of Scottish Studies. By identifying this critical gap in the understanding of global colonialism, the discipline seek to address it through decolonial pedagogies and collaborative research with community partners. Central to this effort was a multi-generational conference where students presented original work, fostering a unique environment where instructors and pupils acted as co-learners. Ultimately, this initiative aims to transform the discipline globally, empowering a new generation of scholars to examine the historical and cultural intersections between Scottish and Indigenous communities.

Rachel Fouladi
Psychology

Indigenous Cultural Awareness Grant 2023/2024

Métis Dialogues Listening Series

Fouladi designed the Métis Dialogues Listening Series to address the often-overlooked complexities of Métis identity and the specific challenges individuals face when navigating questionnaires and identity-based data collection. By hosting a series of speakers and collaborative discussions, the project aims to increase visibility for the Métis community while fostering meaningful reconciliation practice between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants. The series seeks to move beyond academic silos by building relational connections and promoting a more nuanced appreciation of Métis heritage within and outside the university.

Martin Santamaria
Economics

Indigenous Cultural Awareness Grant 2023/2024

Land and Water Rights Lecture Series

Santamaria brings traditional knowledge keepers and Elders into the academic setting with the creation of an Indigenous lecture series. By inviting speakers from both local territories and international regions like Mexico and Chicago, the series highlights transnational Indigenous connections and challenges the dominance of Western academic frameworks. True reconciliation requires giving Indigenous voices an unfiltered platform to demonstrate that their ceremonial wisdom and alternative ways of knowing are as valuable as traditional classroom instruction.