Shaznay Waugh

Shaznay (she/they) is a Two-Spirit Dënesųłiné and white youth from Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́, Denendeh. She is about to enter her fourth-year at the University of British Columbia with a major in Social Justice and a minor in Indigenous Studies. Beyond academics, Shaznay is a poet and artist that writes and creates to celebrate resistance against colonialism. Whether academic or artistic, their work is oriented by Dene Laws, centering love and honouring the spirits of the land, their relatives, and themselves.

Report

Research Proposal: Reviving Traditional 2SIQTIP Identity 

Through this project, Qmunity Camp NWT are seeking to understand how settler colonial states disrupt traditional Indigenous identities and how communities resist colonial notions of the gender binary and heteropatriarchy, aiming to address the macro-level impacts of colonization on GBV, while recognizing the power of individual and collective resistence. As such, this project, led by the selected Fellow, in collaboration with the Camp Director, seeks to investigate the impact of settler colonial states on traditional Indigenous identities and the prevalence of gender-based violence among 2SLGBTQIPA+ community members in the North, emphasizing desk-based and community-based research methods while attending Qmunity Camp programming in June and August. The final report will serve to understand and evaluate Qmunity Camp’s impact and inform their advocacy. 

Qmunity Camp NWT, established in 2019 and formally organized in 2023, celebrates and honors identities and tradition by facilitating healing through land reconnection. Their mandate focuses on creating a space where individuals can explore gender and sexual identities within traditional Indigenous practices, fostering safety, acceptance, and belonging. By providing inclusive gatherings, supporting artistic expression, and connecting youth with culture and the land, they challenge imposed binaries and strive to combat gender-based violence, aiming to spark crucial discussions on inclusion and safety in cultural and natural settings.