From Framework to Practice: Leading Indigenous Engagement
Earlier this year, Vancouver became the first municipality in Canada to adopt a formal process to engage with urban Indigenous community members, who include First Nations, Inuit and Métis from across North America.
The Urban Indigenous Engagement Framework provides clear, culturally relevant and trauma-informed guidance on how to engage with the diverse urban Indigenous communities who live, work and contribute to life in Vancouver. You are invited to to attend this workshop with Rachel Sagastas Wuttunee, Senior Manager of Urban Indigenous Relations, to learn how you can apply it to your work.
During the session, Rachel will provide an overview of what the framework is, why it matters, and how we can use it in practical ways. By centering Indigenous voices and perspectives, the framework ensures that work aligns with the City's commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), advances Reconciliation and strengthens relationships grounded in trust, respect, and reciprocity.
Time Zones
- 01:00 pm - 02:15 pm Eastern
- 12:00 pm - 01:15 pm Central
- 11:00 pm - 12:15 pm Mountain
- 10:00 am - 11:15 am Pacific
About the presenter:
Rachel Sagastas Wuttunee is an Anishinaabek from Kitchenuhmaykoosib, a Bear Clan member, and currently works on the traditional lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. With 20 years of experience in Indigenous rights, human rights, and environmental activism, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in First Nations Studies and a Master’s Degree in Community and Regional Planning, specializing in Indigenous Community Planning.
Her work spans advocacy, education, music composition, motivational speaking, and community planning. Guided by elders, she has focused on systemic barriers affecting marginalized groups, including youth in foster care, justice system exits, and mental health transitions.
In 2019, Rachel joined the City of Vancouver. As a Social Policy Planner, she helped implement recommendations from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG2S). In 2023, she became Senior Manager of Urban Indigenous Relations, leading initiatives for TRC, UNDRIP, and MMIWG2S.
