18
Stereotypes and
m i s c o n c e p t i o
b r e a k i n g d o w n
People need to realize the judgment that a lot of
our people face. I have faced a lot of judgement
in the places that I lived – I have had a lot of
allies but they didn't understand a lot, they
didn't understand why I needed certain things
or some of our practices. Just offering support,
even if you don't fully understand is important.
— Krista McNamara
Penetanguishene
Being Métis does not just mean you are mixed. We
have a distinct history, culture and language that
identifies us as one of the three Indigenous groups
of this land. We need non-Indigenous peoples to
recognize this, but we also need our First Nations
and Inuit cousins to understand this better as well.
— Lindsay DuPré
Toronto - Métis Nation of Ontario
Stereotypes affect me and my community
because it's almost like we have to live up to those
stereotypes and the misconceptions in how people
view us. It's not whether we want to, but sometimes
we feel like we have to… It makes things harder
for our communities and especially our youth, but
we're trying to change that – having our voices and
stories heard is a big part of this.
— Ariana Roundpoint
Akwesasne
What are some common stereotypes and misconceptions about our communities?
What impact do they have and how can we challenge them?
