Tamara Bernard

Background

About Tamara Bernard

Tamara Bernard (Shining Eagle Woman) is a mixed race Anishinaabekwe woman whose family comes from 1850 Robinson Superior Treaty, specifically Gull Bay First Nation - Lake Nipigon. She was born and raised in northwestern Ontario and is connected to many Indigenous organizations and nations through her work on Indigenous gender-based violence advocacy, research, and education. She a PhD candidate at Lakehead University where her scholarly works focuses on Indigenous feminisms, violence against Indigenous women and girls, Indigenous women's leadership and healing. Tamara has contributed to research and education on Indigenous gender-based violence with intersections of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and girls, human trafficking and intimate partner violence for nearly two decades. Recognizing her dedication to share knowledge on the realities of violence against Indigenous women and girls started before national research reports or inquiries - bringing public education to the first of its kind at the time "See Me' MMIWG exhibit permanently housed at Atlohsa Native Family Services in London, Ontario. Tamara being in involved with community based capacity building research projects and research to gather knowledge on Indigenous women's healing, leadership, stories and teachings. She has dedicated her life work to advocating for Indigenous women's right to safety, healing, and access to basic human needs and rights. She currently teaches at Lakehead University within the faculty of Indigenous Learning. Tamara serves as a member of the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee under the Chief Coroner (DVDRC). The DVDRC is a multidisciplinary advisory committee of experts reviewing deaths resulted from intimate partner violence with the objective to prevent similar circumstances to happen in the future. As of 2024, Tamara is one of three leads for the Indigenous sub-committee reviewing Indigenous cases. Tamara is a proud mother, activist, artist, nature lover and writer.