Marissa Magneson is a Cree-Métis artist, photographer, educator and workshop facilitator whose work is informed by Indigenous practices and a commitment to cultural reclamation and conciliation. With a BFA honours degree from York University and a Master’s degree in Canadian and Indigenous Studies from Trent University, Magneson has dedicated herself to educating, photographing, consulting and creating meaningfully. Her master’s research focused on Indigenous research methodologies using beadwork as visual storytelling, and her work is centred around decolonizing education, strengthening the community and reclaiming cultural practices. Through her collaborative efforts with various organizations, she has made a significant impact in the communities she works with, such as post-secondary Indigenous Student Centres across Turtle Island, both private and public schools across the GTA, corporate and non-profit organizations and the Métis Nation of Ontario and Toronto and York Regional Métis Council, where she sits as the elected Youth Representative. 

Currently a doctoral student in the Faculty of Education at York University, Magneson is researching beadwork as pedagogy, a bridge toward cultural reclamation and (re)conciliation. Her groundbreaking work has earned her recognition as a Vanier Scholar, ranking second out of two hundred doctoral students across (so-called) Canada in the social sciences and humanities. She is also a two-time recipient of SSHRC and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, the latter of which funded her master’s research and the first year of her doctoral work. She remains committed to making a positive impact in both her personal and professional endeavours, especially in the lives of youth and Indigenous peoples. 

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