Monique Desnoyers

A settler’s response to the TRC’s Calls to Action: A research journey towards an inclusive practice

This thesis outlines the concepts that informed my critical journey of developing an understanding of what truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples of this land requires of me as a person and as an inclusive designer. My thesis is a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) Calls to Action published in 2015. My journey is the story of how I become aware of the impact of my settler colonialism; a system which seeks to eliminate and assimilate beliefs and peoples that obstructs its manifestation. I acknowledge the settler colonial worldview is a systemic barrier to building relationships between non-Indigenous and Indigenous peoples. My journey describes how I encounter barriers based on the construct of the “Other” and my attempts to uncover personal, societal and cultural biases. My conclusion is that for reconciliation to begin, a commitment to an ongoing decolonization process is required. I share my research journey for designers and educators to consider recognizing and becoming inclusive of Indigenous peoples, their cultures and extensive knowledge systems within their research and design practices. http://openresearch.ocadu.ca/id/eprint/1888/