Lisa @TeamUHN

Tell us about your role at UHN.

I am the new Indigenous Educator in the Department of Research Strategy and Development. In this role, I develop arts-based curricula and workshops about Indigenous health for people working in research and clinical settings.

What are you passionate about in your role at UHN and what does health research mean to you?

I view my work as a form of translation. Visual art captures powerful narratives that are sometimes inaccessible with text alone. The images I create illuminate the beauty and resilience of Indigenous Peoples.

There is an element of this art in health research. To conduct research effectively, we must envision and reimagine it in various ways. It is a beautiful feeling to witness the work of scientists and clinicians unfold artistically as they begin to view themselves differently in their research journey.

How does your work help to advance UHN's vision of A Healthier World?

I use image-based workshops to educate health care providers and researchers about the colonial barriers Indigenous patients navigate in the current health care system. By using art in the Indigenous continuum of passing knowledge through images, I strive to bring light to these barriers and humanize health care for Indigenous patients.

What makes UHN an ideal place to advance health research?

UHN has supported my work to advance health research by providing an arts-based learning space at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. This space allows for creative, educational opportunities and offers privacy for people who have questions about cultural safety.

As an educator, I facilitate workshops, lunch-and-learns, office hours, and scheduled individual meetings for people interested in learning and creating art. Additionally, I make myself available on Wednesdays for office hours if people have questions or need more time to create artwork.

Do you have any interests outside of work?

I am also a children’s author and illustrator of We Dream Medicine Dreams and I Will See You Again, where I share Indigenous teachings about death, grief, and healing. In 2022, We Dream Medicine Dreams won the First Nation Communities READ PMC Indigenous Literature Award.

What do you see for the future of health research, and what gets you excited about it?

I imagine a world where all research and institutions have inclusive arts-based learning spaces for researchers, staff, and trainees to drop-in and explore their creativity. The work created in these spaces will be uplifting and designed to ensure social change from an individual to a global level, resulting in culturally safe research and health care systems.

How to Participate in You @TeamUHN

You @TeamUHN is a campaign to highlight the important scientific contributions that research lab staff, trainees and learners, administrative staff, core facilities staff, Research Solutions & Services staff, and volunteers make towards A Healthier World through discovery and innovation. If you’re interested in sharing your story, we invite you to complete this form here (Open to UHN staff, trainees and volunteers).