About us

MISSION

Mikana, which means path in the Anishinabe language, is an Indigenous non-profit organization whose mission is to work for social change by educating different audiences on the realities and perspectives of Indigenous peoples.

This initiative is the result of a desire to generate concrete action against racism and discrimination against Indigenous Peoples, and contributes to breaking down the barriers between Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds.

We recognize that Mikana’s office is located on unceded Indigenous territory and we acknowledge the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation as the custodian of the lands and waters on which we find ourselves.

VISION

We believe in the transformative power of education, in raising awareness, in establishing partnerships and nurturing dialogue for harmonious cohabitation and mutual understanding in society. We dream of an egalitarian society where racism, discrimination and ignorance are a thing of the past, and where Indigenous and non-Indigenous people will work together, as equals.

History

Mélanie Lumsden and Widia Larivière met in 2007 at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM) through their involvement in its Indigenous students association. Both children of an Indigenous and a non-Indigenous parent, they have born constant witness to the gap that exists between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds and wanted to contribute to building bridges between them. Their meeting was the beginning of a series of collaborations within Indigenous and ally organizations that allowed them to speak out at various events in order to raise awareness about Indigenous realities, and more broadly, to take action for social change and a more just society. Founded in 2015, Mikana is the result of several years of collaborative deliberation and vested involvement on both their parts.

Special thanks

Agnès Lorgueilleux – Alexandre Dufour Robertson – Basile Groussin – Centre des organismes communautaires – Charles-Emmanuel Joyal – Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse – Dominique Charron – Emilie Monnet – Femmes Autochtones du Québec – Hélène Gingras – Jann Derrick – Justice Provost – Khadiatou Sarr – Laurent Lévesque – Molotov Communications – Myriam Zaidi – Nancy Neamtan – Nessa Ghassemi – Lydia Tetyczka – Philippe Boucher – Rim Mohsen