Mapping Out Indigenous and Racialized Critical Community-Based Perspectives and Experiences in the Time of COVID

Maryam Khan, Giselle Dias, Amanda Thompson

The COVID-19 pandemic has had many implications for the lives, health, and well-being of Indigenous and racialized queer individuals and communities across the globe. In this article, three queer social workers (two Indigenous and one racialized-settler), situated on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabek, and Neutral/Attawandaron people discuss lived experiences of social isolation, and mental health, while navigating work, education, and moments of resilience, in their communities of belonging. Through a circle process, they discuss the implications of social isolation for queer, Indigenous and racialized-settler individuals  in the context of shifting notions of community due to the pandemic. The authors engage with unique intersectional social work standpoints that are steeped in Indigenous-centred, critically reflexive, queer, intersectional feminist, and relational approaches that highlight the politics of care, relational accountability, and relationship with Creation and ethics during COVID-19.  The article concludes with recommendations for social work practice with Indigenous and racialized queer communities.

COVID, Indigenous, communities of belonging, mental health, racialized.