Dr. Michelle Montgomery, Associate Professor in American Indian Studies and Ethnic, Gender and Labor Studies, has a strong track-record of community-based research within Indigenous communities. She is also the Assistant Director for the Office of Undergraduate Education. Dr. Montgomery, led and authored proposals that was funded since 2015 by University of Washington Tacoma, School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Teaching and Research Award entitled, Indigenous Knowledge and Community Conversations.
The outcomes of this on-going project developed a safe space for UW campuses and communities to dialogue about Indigenous people’s cultural and traditional lived experiences (i.e., traditional food sovereignty, cultural and traditional practices and human health), while utilizing Tribal Participatory Research (TPR) approach and traditional knowledge as a collaboration tool for adaptation to climate. Utilizing a traditional leadership approach, the funding has hosted multiple community conversations with multi-generational Indigenous peoples to introduce best practices for Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and TPR practices for collaborative partnerships
The specific aim has been to forge a respectful opportunity to bridge Indigenous knowledge to identify and respond to community research priorities to sustain traditional food sovereignty, cultural and traditional practices, and human health.
2020-2021
Community Partnership - Indigenous Speaker Series
Native Environmental Science Faculty, Northwest Indian College, Nez Perce Campus
Since January 2020, in partnership with Native Environmental Science Faculty at the Northwest Indian College, Nez Perce Campus, Ciarra Greene, MS, the project has expanded the community-based research within Indigenous communities. The Student/Indigenous Speaker Series collaboration has provided a platform already for thirteen speakers with additional speakers lined up through August and a vision for beyond. Speakers have varying backgrounds and share their cultural, traditional, and academic lived experiences in modern society while honoring their longstanding relationship and responsibility to their homelands, communities, and ancestors. Research is living and developing through the conversations among the presenters, participants, and facilitators (Dr. Montgomery and Ms. Greene). The series has drawn in over 500 participants from across the world to engage in discussion with speakers about traditional food sovereignty, cultural and traditional practices, human health with foundations in sustainability, resilience, and dedication to future generations.
2019
txʷəlšucid: Language from the Land, Amber Haywood (Puyallup Tribal member, a descendant of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribe and African American), Puyallup Tribal Language Program Director; Chris Briden (Puyallup Tribal Member), Language Teacher, Puyallup Tribe, Tacoma, WA
Wanai – The Bringer of the Year, Vyna Brown (Haíɫzaqv), Native Leadership Department Chair at the Northwest Indian College
Manage out of Existence: Over-regulation of Indigenous subsistence fishing of Yukon River, Dr. Victoria Walsey (Confederate Tribes and Bands of Yakama Nation), Native Environmental Science Faculty at the Northwest Indian College
2018-2019
A Journey to Understand Coast Salish Peoples’ Relationship to Place: Cultural Resource Management and Restoration Practices, Sonni Tadlock, Descendant of the Okanogan Band of the Colville Tribe
Walking the Chehalis Language Trail Home: A Strategy for Chehalis Language Revitalization and Development, Dr. Marla Conwell (Chehalis Nation), South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency
A Long Time Ago, When the Earth Was Young: A History of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Dr. Mary DuPuis (Chehalis Nation), Doctor of Indigenous Development and Advancement, Te Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi University, Whakatane, New Zealand
Drink the Koolaid, It's Safer than Water: The Relationship between Flint, Michigan and the Dine Reservation, Nacona Roudideaux (Comanche Nation), BA Environmental Science/Indigenous and American Indian Studies, Haskell Indian Nations University, Lawrence, KS
Loss and Opportunity: Culturally Informed Climate Adaptation, Jasmine Neosh (Menominee Nation), AAS Natural Resource Program, College of Menominee Nation, Keshena, WI
Sovereignty and Indigenous Governance for Climate Change, Laural Ballew (Swinomish Tribe), Executive Director of American Indian/Alaska Native/First Nations Relations and Tribal Liaison, The President’s Office, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA; and Tim Ballew (Lummi Nation), Faculty, Department of Native Science, Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, WA
2017-2018
Engineering & Indigenuity: How NASA Views Tribal Resourcefulness, Christian Cultee (Lummi Nation), BS Native Environmental Science Program, Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, WA
The Story of a Tribal Liaison - Teaching STEM Indigenous Knowledge, Lisa Redsteer (Dine), BS Native Environmental Science Program, Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, WA
Rising Together: Collaborative Support for Tribal Climate Decision-Making, Jasmine Neosh (Menominee), AAS Natural Resource Program, College of Menominee Nation, Green Bay, WI
Indigenous Feminisms and Environmentalism: Re/Claiming Relationships and Responsibilities, Paulette Blanchard (Absentee Shawnee/Kickapoo), PhD Graduate Program, Department of Geography and Atmospheric Science, University of Kansas
2016-2017
Growing on the Wild Side: Omāēqnomenēwak and the Impacts of Climate Change, Maria Boyd (Menominee Nation), MS Graduate Program, Department of Environmental Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Indigenous Ethics, Protocols and Self-Determination in an Era of Climate Changes
Paulette Blanchard (Absentee Shawnee/Kickapoo), PhD Graduate Program, Department of Geography and Atmospheric Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Indigenizing Geospatial Water Quality Research: NASA and Kiksapa Consulting
Hannah Smith (White Earth, Crane Clan), Knowledge Systems Coordinator, Environmental Institute, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, Cloquet, MN
Indigenous Perspectives on Climate Change
Paulette Blanchard (Absentee Shawnee/Kickapoo), PhD Graduate Program, Department of Geography and Atmospheric Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Shape of Our Foods in the 21st Century
Hannah Smith (White Earth, Crane Clan), Knowledge Systems Coordinator, Environmental Institute, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, Cloquet, MN
Continuing Traditions: Native Nutrition
Valerie Segrest (Muckleshoot), Traditional Foods and Medicines Program Manager, Auburn, WA
Continuing Traditions: Herbal Foundations
Valerie Segrest (Muckleshoot), Traditional Foods and Medicines Program Manager, Auburn, WA
2015-2016
The Political Geography of Alaskan Native Land Claims: Complexity in Governance
Rita Asgeirsson, BA (Yu’pik Eskimo), Native Environmental Science Program, Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, WA
Scaling Community within Static Places: Practically and Responsibly Incorporating Holism into Education
Patrick Freeland, MS (Muscogee Creek Nation), Native Environmental Science Program, Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, WA
Salish Sea Food System: Supporting a Culture of Health
Valerie Segrest (Muckleshoot), Traditional Foods and Medicines Program Manager, Auburn, WA
A Traditional Hunter's Perspective on Climate Change
Glenn Pinkham (Yakima), Traditional Hunter, a former Yakama Nation Council and Wapato City Council Member, Yakima, WA
An Anishinaabe Perspective: The Urban Spectrum of Minnesota and Sustainable Life Changes
Hannah Smith (White Earth, Crane Clan), Environment and Sustainability Undergraduate Program, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN
2014-2015
Research is Ceremony
Shawn Wilson, PhD (Opaskwayak Cree), Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Adaptation to Climate Change, Traditional Foods and Indigenous Matrilineal Ways of Knowing
Dian Million, PhD (Tanana Athabascan), Department of American Indian Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
