My name is Sophie Carriere and I am Red River Métis on my mother’s side. Our family comes from the communities of St. Boniface, St. Laurent, and St. Pierre-Jolys on Treaty 1 territory in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I was raised by my mother on the shared territories of the scəw̓aθən (Tsawwassen), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), and other Coast Salish Peoples. I have had the honour of growing up surrounded by a large family who helped shape me into the person I am today, and shared with me many of our traditional teachings and values. I try to always work in alignment with these, in addition to the new teachings I receive from my Elders on the coast. I do not take the work that I do lightly; I am committed to continuously reflecting on what I’ve learned, and moving forward in the best way I can. I currently work as a research lead for UBC’s Roots, a collective of projects focused on supporting Indigenous-led health research.

My name is Aria Viveiros, and I am a member of the Gitxsan Nation with ancestral ties to the Haisla Nation and the Xenaksiala people. My maternal grandmother and great-grandfather come from the village and reserve of Gitwangaak. My great-grandmother comes from Kitimaat Village, with her ancestors originating from the Xenaksiala people of the Kitlope region. I grew up in Terrace on the unceded territories of the Kitselas and Kitsumkalum First Nations. I was raised solely by my Indigenous mother, who was raised solely by her Indigenous mother. Despite culture and language loss that continues to pose challenges for my community and for myself as an individual, I have been fortunate to be able to surround myself with Indigenous peers, mentors, knowledge keepers, and Elders, who have guided me as I reflect on my role as an Indigenous-focused researcher, as a member of the Gitxsan and Haisla Nations, and as a members of the greater Indigenous community on these lands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm, sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ Nations. I have a Bachelor’s degree from UBC in Political Science and currently work as a coordinator for UBC’s Roots, a collective of projects that support Indigenous-led health research.

Maram Alkawaja. I am a PhD candidate in the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. My research focuses on minimizing childhood inequities and identifying protective factors for positive long-term trajectories. I am particularly passionate about advancing health equity for children and understanding how social, environmental and structural contexts interact to affect mental health outcomes over time. Drawing on population-level longitudinal data, I use multilevel modelling to map patterns and trajectories of mental health and well-being from early to middle childhood and adolescence. I work as a research data analyst with the Indigenous Initiatives team on the Project for Actualizing Indigenous Data Sovereignty Principles. This work aligns with my deep commitments to decolonization and sharing data and knowledge in culturally safe ways. I support ethical, strengths-based, and self-determined data governance practices grounded in respect, reciprocity, and stewardship, which in turn deeply inform my own research approach.I hold a BSc and MSc in Health Sciences from Brock University, where my earlier research examined adolescent academic achievement and the educational environments that contribute to mental health and success.