Shanese Steele

Project Coordinator

No pronouns

Shanese Anne Indoowaaboo Steele is an Afro-Indigenous femme living and working on the traditional territories of the Missauagek and Potwatomi people. Being Métis Anishinaabe Kwe and a Black person of Trinidadian and Grenadian descent she understands the complexities of the diasporic experiences of visitors to these lands in relation to the original inhabitants. Her work includes both traditional knowledge from her Métis Anishinaabe ancestors and community as well as that of her Black ancestry.

All of her work comes from a decolonial, Queer, feminist and pro-Black framework. Shanese worked with social justice organizations and in other equity-related roles including The Toronto District School Boards Aboriginal Education Center in various capacities engaging Indigenous youth; sat on the planning committee that resulted in the First Nations School of Toronto; Métis Nation of Ontario Infinite Reach facilitator for Trent University; served as a Co-President of the Trent University Native Association; the national chair for Canadian Federation of Students Circle of First Nations, Métis and Inuit students, the North American Focal Point for the United Nations Global Indigenous Youth Caucus; and a facilitator for the CCGSD. A published writer, Shanese’s work can be found in Xtra Magazine, The Trent Arthur, Global Indigenous Youth: Through Their Eyes (Columbia publication) and the Nutmeg and Sage Blog.

Shanese has spent her career building bridges between Black and Indigenous peoples living on Turtle Island and Globally, advocating for victims of intimate partner and violence and creating space and opportunities for all marginalized communities. As a Queer identifying person Shanese has continuously dedicated her time to supporting LGBTQAI2S+ community through policy creation, workshop facilitations and access to resources.