I was initially acquainted with Gabe Desrosiers as a fellow Canadian amongst the faculty at the University of Minnesota Morris. Indeed, I first learned of Gabe as the result of one of our mutual colleagues saying something to me like: “Oh, you’re Canadian? You should meet Gabe. He’s Canadian too!”

However, in the 9 years that we’ve been colleagues, Gabe has become a good friend and a teacher. He’s taught me about Anishinaabe life ways and history. Through many hours of conversation, he’s helped me to be more reflective about how I approach my teaching and scholarship. Our watercooler chats have fundamentally shaped how I think about the relationships between colonization, sustainability, and the work of higher education.

Gabe is an award winning singer and dancer, he is a translator and a voiceover artist for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, and he runs the Anishinaabemowin immersion camp as well as teaches Anishinaabemowin and Indigenous song and dance at the University of Minnesota Morris.

Links: https://students.morris.umn.edu/gabe-desrosiers https://sunshinerecords.com/pages/northern-wind https://students.morris.umn.edu/equity-diversity-intercultural-programs/programs/native-american-student-life/anishinaabe-summer