Two Indigenous leaders from Carleton University have been awarded the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of their outstanding contributions to Indigenous education, advocacy and community engagement in Canada.
Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller, Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Teaching, Learning and Research and Benny Michaud, Director of the Centre for Indigenous Support and Community Engagement, received the honour, which commemorates the coronation of King Charles III and celebrates Canadians who have made notable and lasting impacts in their communities and across the country.
The Honourable Andrew Cardozo, Senator for Ontario, presented the award to Dr. Horn-Miller, praising her “groundbreaking work in Indigenous studies and storytelling” and her role in “advancing cultural understanding and reconciliation.” A 3M National Teaching Fellow, Dr. Horn-Miller has pioneered innovative educational tools which support inclusive, Indigenous-led learning across post-secondary institutions. “Her dedication to preserving and promoting Indigenous knowledge and advocacy for Indigenous methodologies in academia has profoundly influenced Canadian higher education and national dialogue on Indigenous rights and representation,” said Cardozo.
As an active member of her community, Horn-Miller is a figurative bridge builder as she engages with issues that are relevant to her work and academic interests such as Indigenous methodologies, Indigenous women, identity politics, colonization, Indigenous governance, and consensus-based decision making. Her governance work and community-based research involves interpreting Haudenosaunee culture and bringing new life to old traditions. It is the fruit of her endeavors as a Mohawk, an educator and a mother that she brings into her interactions with Kahnawà:ke:ronon (people of Kahnawà:ke) and the academic community.
“I’m honoured to have received this award alongside so many inspiring colleagues across the country,” said Horn-Miller. “My work is rooted in my experiences as an Indigenous mother, community member and former student in the Canadian education system. I do this work because I love to teach and I want to create spaces where Indigenous students are seen, supported and successful—so they can bring that strength and knowledge back to their communities.”
Benny Michaud was recognized by the Métis Nation for their work as an educator and advocate for Two-Spirit Métis people across the Homeland and for their commitment to the revitalization of the Michif language. Michaud is a proud Michif tasta-iiyinew (person in between) from St. Boniface, Manitoba and is a founding member of Mahwiiyahk Nakatakashoo, the National Métis Two-Spirit Circle. They are currently working towards a PhD in Canadian Studies which will focus on the self-actualization of Michif Tastawiiyinawak.
As Director of the Centre for Indigenous Support and Community Engagement, Michaud leads efforts to advance the 41 calls to action outlined in Carleton’s Kinàmàgawin Report, fostering opportunities for education and dialogue within the university community. This summer, Michaud will be teaching a land-based learning course entitled “Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer Worldviews and Relationships with the Land”—the first time such a course has been offered at Carleton.
“There is no greater form of recognition than that which comes from your own community,” said Michaud. “As a survivor of conversion therapy, the life I currently lead is one I never imagined possible. I’ve dedicated my life to reclaiming and sharing Two-Spirit Métis teachings, traditions and ceremonial practices and I’m forever humbled by the work of those Two-Spirit ancestors and elders that have, and continue to, create a path forward for myself and others. I will keep listening and learning from Two-Spirit relatives across the Métis homeland and sharing those teachings with Two-Spirit students at Carleton.”
The King Charles III Coronation Medal honours the long-standing Commonwealth tradition of recognizing citizens who have demonstrated exceptional service and leadership during times of national significance. The recognition of Horn-Miller and Michaud affirms the transformative power of Indigenous leadership, education and community resilience.