Braided Identities: Being Well in Canada - Paperback

by Julie Sutherland (Editor), Margo Greenwood (Editor), Sarah de Leeuw (Editor)

At a time when equity, social justice, and identity have never been more critical, Braided Identities challenges us with the question: "How do I define myself, and how does that influence my health and well-being?"

Blending essays, poems, and visual art, the contributors explore the experiences that shape the health and well-being of people and communities in Canada. Together, they reveal identities that are mutable, messy, beautiful, and strong, while challenging the labels and assumptions that seek to define, direct, or diminish them. Placing intimate stories alongside academic research, Braided Identities shows how lived experience and evidence can inform one another, and how creativity can expose inequities, foster resilience, and inspire change. Told primarily through first-person perspectives, this moving and thought-provoking collection invites readers to reflect on identity, systemic inequality, and the future of inclusive healthcare in Canada. It will resonate with anyone who cares about building a more just and compassionate society.

Contributors: Terri Aldred, Christine Añonuevo, Reneltta Arluk, Wala Azimi, Zamina M. Aziz, Lisa Boivin, Sarah de Leeuw, Thomsen Boniface D'Hont, Norma Dunning, Marion Erickson, Max Ferguson, Margo Greenwood, Corrine Hunt, Audrey Kobayashi, Marc Lafrance, Hélène Lahaie, Roseann Larstone, Nicole Marie Lindsay, Sam Loppie, Vanessa Mitchell, Shane Neilson, Omolara Odulaja, Renee Priya Prasad, Salima Punjani, Margaret Robinson, Mark W. Rosenberg, Sana Z. Shahram, Miyawata Dion Stout, Julie Sutherland, Kimberley Thomas, Gilles Tremblay, Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang, Ysabelle Vautour, thom vernon, and Wahsonti: io.

Author Biography

Julie Sutherland is a literary consultant, creative producer, and award-winning educator and entrepreneur who guides clients worldwide in literature, writing, research, and publishing within the arts, humanities, and social justice. Margo Greenwood, a Cree scholar and Canadian Senator, is a leader in Indigenous health and education. Honoured nationally for transformational leadership, she advances Indigenous children and families' well-being through academic and governance roles. Sarah de Leeuw is an award-winning scholar and writer whose work explores health humanities and anti-coloniality. She seeks to understand--and address--why some communities thrive while others face poverty, isolation, violence, discrimination, or poor health. Audrey Kobayashi, Distinguished Professor Emerita at Queen's University, is an academic and activist. Through international collaborations, she currently works on Japanese Canadian history, Sartre studies, and music's role in community activism.