Michelle Stanley (she/her)
Michelle is an enrolled member of the Coharie Tribe, located in present-day Sampson County in North Carolina. Michelle has provided research and data analysis work for universities, independent researchers, and non-profit organizations. Her work has focused on challenging settler colonialism, Indigenous Data Sovereignty, Indigenous research methodologies,
Indigenous genocide denial, MMIWG2S+, Indigenous feminisms, Native American experiences in higher education, and the histories of Tribal Nation operated schools in NC.
As an instructor, she has taught Indigenous Feminisms, Indigenous feminist politics and resistance, and Indigenous women. Michelle also co-organized the Annual Powwow at UNC Charlotte for two years. She earned her master’s degree in Public Administration, graduate certificate in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, and Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Psychology from UNC Charlotte. Michelle also worked for 9 years as a staff member within the Sociology and Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics offices at UNC Charlotte.
Michelle currently works at the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association and is an apprentice at Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center.
Facilitator of: Understanding Indigenous Feminisms: Disrupting settler colonialism.
This session is focused on the ways Indigenous Feminisms disrupts settler colonialism and, in turn, challenges white feminism. We will focus on understanding Indigenous Feminisms and settler colonialism in the context of present-day North America; highlighting important gender and sexuality issues faced by Indigenous communities (including Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Children, and Two Spirit relatives) and how these issues are settler colonial mechanisms; and how to be a supportive ally.
While we are working through these discussions, we will be creating tobacco bundles to give to whomever we choose. I recognize these are difficult discussions and that many people benefit from having something to do with their hands while interacting. Tobacco bundles are very simple to make and I will provide guidance and information on the importance of tobacco within Coharie and many other Southeastern Indigenous Peoples.
We will begin with discussing the basic concepts of Indigenous Feminisms and settler colonialism, to ensure that we are beginning from the same understanding, before diving into disrupting settler colonialism and issues faced by Indigenous communities. I will facilitate discussions on how Indigenous Feminisms challenges white feminism, but also does not exist with that sole purpose. Specifically, I will point out the ways that Indigenous Feminisms is often co-opted by others and how this perpetuates misconceptions. Indigenous Feminisms is primarily focused on disrupting settler colonialism and the ways settler colonialism has always been and continues to be gendered. I will end with discussing culturally appropriate allyship and calls to action.