Carolyn Roberts uses her voice to support Indigenous resurgence through education. She is a Coast Salish woman belonging to the Squamish Nation, her birth Mother is Janet Baker from the Thevarge family of the N'Quatqua Nation and her birth Father is Ed Kelly, Sto:lo from the Tzeachten Nation. Carolyn is an Indigenous academic who holds two degrees from UBC, a Masters in Aboriginal Education and Leadership and a Bachelors of Education.  She also holds a Bachelors of Jazz Studies from Capilano University. Currently she is a Doctoral Candidate at Simon Fraser University in the eTAP Program.  She has been an educator and administrator for over 20 years and is currently a Faculty Member and Indigenous teaching Fellow in the Department of Education at Simon Fraser University. 

 

Carolyn’s work at SFU is grounded in educating new teachers and other faculty about the legacies of colonialism that can still be felt on this land today. These legacies that continue to affect the traditional caretakers of these territories is what motivates her to be an active participant of change in educating those around her about the true shared history of this land. 

 

A pivotal moment in her educational journey was when Carolyn was working alongside the Squamish Nation towards revitalizing the Squamish language and culture by beginning the conversion process of their elementary school into a Squamish language immersion school. She believes it is a critical time for Indigenous people to remember who they are, and where they came from, using traditional indigenous ways of knowing as a foundation. Carolyn is a strong voice and leader for the resurgence of Indigenous people reclaiming their languages, their history, and their cultures.

 

Carolyn’s work is about educating others around her in the importance of Indigenous culture and ancestral ways of knowing, to work towards a brighter future for all Indigenous people and the seven generations yet to come.

Carolyn Is a Faculty Lecturer at Simon Fraser University, Indigenous Teaching Fellow in the Faculty of Education, Co-Chair of the Indigenous Education and Reconciliation Council at SFU.