The Canadian Institutes for Advanced Research (CIFAR) and the United Way are jointly organizing a Change Makers symposium on Researching with Communities on November 26, 2015. Change Makers is a national dialogue series bringing together research and community leaders to engage in conversation around new ways of thinking and acting to drive social change and community well-being. I’m looking forward to speaking about “Leaving your preconceptions at the door: Conducting community-led participatory research with First Nations communities”, and having the opportunity to hear my panel colleagues, Axelle Janczur, Executive Director at Access Alliances Multicultural Health and Community Services; Maureen Fair, Executive Director of the West Neighbourhood House; and Philip Oreopoulos, Professor of Economics at University of Toronto.