Jaelyn Jarrett

Research interests: Black and Indigenous solidarity, Inuit Governance, Kinship and Belonging, Inuit Identity and Belonging in Arctic and Urban Spaces, Canadian Law and its Impacts on Inuit rights, Self-determination and Land Rights.

Jaelyn is currently pursuing a master’s degree in the Human Rights and Social Justice program at Carleton University, within the thesis research stream. Her academic focus centers on the intersectionality of Afro-Inuit experiences, where she aims to make visible the history of Black whalers brought to Hudson’s Bay aboard American whaling ships and the mixed black and Inuit people in the arctic.  Additionally, Jaelyn’s research extends to the experiences of Inuit populations in urban centers, including identity, belonging and kinship.

With a rich and multifaceted heritage as an Inuk, Black, and Guyanese individual, Jaelyn’s lived experiences provide a unique lens through which she approaches her research and informs her methodologies. As a mother, she is particularly attuned to questions of identity and belonging, exploring how they resonate not only in academic contexts but also within her personal life and community engagements.

Jaelyn’s contributions extend beyond academia into broader creative and advocacy spaces. She has authored a piece for the award-winning Inuit Art Quarterly titled ‘How seeing herself represented in art Helped one Woman Speak up.’ As an alumna of the Inuit Futures Ilinniaqtuit program, she has actively participated in initiatives aimed at fostering cultural resurgence and supporting Inuit artists and scholars. Furthermore, Jaelyn was featured on the FoodShare podcast, where she provided insights into the intersections of Black and Indigenous land and food solidarity, contributing to vital conversations about equity, sustainability, and decolonization. She has also worked as a researcher and consultant for Indigenous specific organizations over the years.

Through her research, writing, and advocacy, Jaelyn seeks to amplify the voices of marginalized communities and deepen understandings of intersectionality within the broader field of human rights and social justice. Her dedication to exploring the complexities of mixed-race identity and cultural belonging reflects her commitment to advancing meaningful dialogue and fostering inclusive spaces both within academia and beyond.