Keynote Speakers: Working to Change Perceptions of Queer and Indigenous People
Day one of Convention 2024 concluded with an inspiring keynote presentation from Dr. James Makokis and Anthony Johnson, a Two-Spirit, Indigenous married couple from Treaty Six, which covers portions of present-day Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The pair have become famous after winning the Amazing Race Canada in 2019. They initially hesitated to put their names forward for the reality TV show but were convinced to do so because of the immense opportunity it presented to shine a public light on issues related to gender, sexuality and Indigenous peoples. They described how, for many viewers, it was their first time seeing Two-Spirit people as people – it humanized their existence.
Makokis is from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in northeastern Alberta and works as a medical doctor. He encouraged delegates to move from being bystanders to allies of Indigenous people in the health-care system, highlighting issues such as the importance of Indigenous medicines and respect for culturally informed approaches to receiving care.
“When we see something we don’t understand, we need to have an active curiosity that is respectful, so we know what is going on,” he said.
Makokis identified fear as the main barrier and encouraged those in attendance to work to overcome it.
Johnson was born and raised on the Navajo nation and shared aspects of his life as a person with “a foot in both worlds” – as a settler with white privilege and as an Indigenous person who grew up on the reserve. He described historical events that illustrated both struggle and resilience of queer and Indigenous communities across Turtle Island, including the Stonewall Riot in New York that inspired the first Pride parades. He explained how those events also led to Indigenous communities’ creation of the term “Two-Spirit” to recognize qualities that had already long existed among their people.
Makokis and Johnson’s appearance on the Amazing Race Canada created change for people across the country. Viewership of the show, which was previously in decline, skyrocketed and grew by 200,000 viewers over the year before. The couple said they heard stories from viewers who were inspired to share more than they ever had about their identities with their loved ones. They were also heartened by the fact that they were able to use their own experiences of marginalization, and not being able to fully be themselves when younger, to help the youth of today chart a different path.
It was clear from both their words and their spirit that Makokis and Johnson have a passion for educating the public to change the perception of queer and Indigenous people. Their stories and perspectives left delegates inspired to be allies in their workplaces and communities.