VCU RRTC

Join us for an insightful discussion on incorporating cultural components into different facets of community work.  Our speakers will elaborate on their current areas of concentration, including education, research, and government, and best practices for ensuring inclusivity of cultural identities. Further, indigenous disability practices and views will be introduced into the discussion of the intersectionality of the topic. Audience participation, insight, and questions are encouraged to add to the inclusivity, depth, development, and benefit of the topic to all attendees!

Learning Objectives

1.  Participants will learn background, methods, and emerging strategies by Indigenous language immersion to incorporate and preserve Indigenous culture.
    
2. The webinar will showcase research and government/organizational practices on engaging the community to strengthen cultural relevance and ethical practices for overall Indigenous well-being
    
3. Practitioners within and serving Indigenous communities and individuals will be exposed to effective practices for cultural continuity and inclusivity in fields of work that can be utilized as frameworks for creating or adjusting programs for successful cultural connection.
    

Bios:

Dr. Alissa Baker (Cherokee Nation) is a cognitive scientist and mother working at the intersection of Cherokee culture, cognition, and wellness. She currently serves as the research coordinator for Cherokee Nation Behavioral Health Research & Evaluation in addition to her work as an independent research consultant with Tohi Consultation. Her scholarship explores how Native language and culture improves health and wellness of Native American peoples as well as enhances specific modes of cognition. She was a professor of psychological statistics, research methods, and philosophy of science for over a decade and continues to enjoy discussions on Indigenized approaches to science and research. 

Kara Canaday (Chickahominy Tribe of Virginia) earned her Bachelor’s in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology with a minor in Special Education from Old Dominion University in 2016 and a Master’s in Special Education from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2019. Kara began her career teaching students with autism at Hopewell City Public Schools before returning to Charles City in 2018 to teach K-6 students with disabilities. She was named Charles City Elementary School’s Teacher of the Year and Division Teacher of the Year in 2019-2020.

In 2020, Kara joined the Virginia Tribal Education Consortium, where she helped establish the first Tribal Education Agency in the U.S., eventually becoming its CEO. Afterward, she returned to Hopewell City Public Schools before assuming her current role as Ombudsman for Tribal Consultation in the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, advocating for Indigenous representation in policy.