About the Author, January O’Connor: I am Tlingit and Alaska born and raised. I am a Founding Director of Raven’s Group LLC, a consulting group that provides services in program planning and design, grant writing, education and youth programming, and evaluation. I’m currently in my final years of my PhD journey in Indigenous Studies and am currently the Chair of the Indigenous Peoples in Evaluation Topical Interest Group.
I am writing blog post on an upcoming to be released article in December 2024 Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation’s issue which is a detailed and in-depth explanation of Dr. Nicole Bowman’s expanded Medicine Wheel Indigenous Framework. What I wanted to focus on is not the framework itself as Dr. Bowman does an excellent job on that, but an underlying point in the article. Encoded in that article is an outline of her positionality and what lived experiences went into creating the person, human being, researcher evaluator and other that she is today. Dr. Bowman writes:
“Books, publications, and formal education and professional development are important, but we must give equal or more weight to praxis and our life experiences (Deloria, 1997; Bowman, 2021). Publications are not the only relevant, authentic, and trustworthy pathways to what works and what counts, especially for Indigenous populations and First Nations governments who continue to be among the most harmed by academic endeavors (The Evaluation Center, 2023). When I began my journey over 35 years ago to be unashamed, I opened up my heart and spirit and intentionally prayed for awakening. As a curious and engaged community member, I participated formally and informally in observing, listening, and learning about my cultural, Tribal, linguistic, and family histories and knowledge. What I learn through reflection, I integrate into my life, work, spirit and other important aspects of my life. Time thus far has taught me that a self-determined and sovereign aspect of my being was always there, deep within my heart, spirit, and DNA, even if intellectually and practically I did not see it. From the oppressive systems of education and professional development to the professional and academic conferences, organizations, and activities I have been engaged in, I continue to hold deeply the Indigenous roots of culture, language, ethics, and sovereignty.”
Lesson Learned
Dr. Bowman’s explication and deep reflection on the paths that led to the person she is today and how she shows up in the world also directs us to the importance of reflecting on who we are and where we come from. This question of “who we are and where we come from” is a question that is felt deeply by Indigenous people navigating the world where two divergent backgrounds can create a need for exploration into what makes an Indigenous Person Indigenous. Aside from assisting in us to answer this never-answered question is the fact that this process of outlining and exploring our background also aligns with the concept of Positionality and the great need for all of us to understand who we are and where we come from. Exploring one’s own positionality through reflection on our past experiences and what makes us who we are today can also assist us in developing our own personal and professional approaches and ways of being. This concept of positionality will soon be extrapolated on in the upcoming Indigenous Peoples in Evaluation Topical Interest Group newsletter as well as Dr. Bowman’s future publications. Stay tuned for more background and prompts on how to effectively work through our positionality and reflect on how that has created who we are, where we come from, and where we want to go.
Rad Resources
Please visit our IPE TIG’s website and resources page. The IPE TIG is always posting new resources related to and supporting Indigenous Evaluation. Thanks! January O’Connor, IPE TIG Chair.
The American Evaluation Association is hosting Indigenous Peoples in Evaluation (IPE) TIG week. All posts this week are contributed by members of the IPE Topical Interest Group. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this AEA365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the AEA365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an AEA365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to AEA365@eval.org. AEA365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators. The views and opinions expressed on the AEA365 blog are solely those of the original authors and other contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the American Evaluation Association, and/or any/all contributors to this site.