According to my sqilx^w ways, personal introductions come before any other words.   

Wai, iskwis (my name is) Percy Lezard. I am outma sqilx^w, and my relations are the Lezards in Sn’penkton, the Krugers from Arrow Lakes and the Baptistes from Chopka. As part of my sqilx^w cultural practice, I want to begin my introduction with an acknowledgement of my positionality and responsibilities, in an era across the Academic Industrial complex of race shifters and pretendians it’s important to identify "who I am, who are my people and who claims me."  

I am the child of Indian Residential School Survivors, Valerie Lezard and Moses Baptiste.  

My maternal grandparents who were also Indian Residential School Survivors are twi pl̓wic̓ia Elizabeth Lezard (Manual) naʔł twi stiʔulaʕxʷ Ernest Lezard.  

My paternal grandparents who were also Indian Residential School Survivors are twiʔ Katherine Baptiste (Alec) naʔł twiʔ George Baptiste.  

We are all full status and registered members under the Indian Act and under our nations custom membership code, we/I are members of the Penticton Indian Band my people, the sqilx^w, have lived on the territory known as the Okanagan Valley since the beginning of people on those lands. My traditional territories stretch from Mica Creek, just north of modern-day Revelstoke, BC and east to Kootenay Lake, south to Washington state and west into the Nicola Valley. 

I continue to live as a guest on the lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples for the past twenty plus years and am responsible to upholding the Dish with One Spoon treaty in my nation-to-nation relations with the caretakers of these territories. 

I received my collaborative Ph.D. from OISE/UT in SJE and WGIS in 2021. I received a collaborative Masters from University of Toronto in 2006. I am very grateful to be here in the Laurier Community where I am being supported to thrive and excel as a critical Indigenous Scholar, prior to joining this scholarly community in 2020, I held an appointment with the Faculty of Social Work at University of Manitoba

My research orientation is always towards community. It is my responsibility as an Indigenous researcher and Indigenous thinker to disrupt mainstream models of knowledge exraction. I work to re-center Indigenous ways of knowing and being and harness the existing strengths and leadership from Indigenous community members. As a result, I prioritize community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) over single-author papers, and always strive to involve myself in research that has tangible impacts. I have worked as a principle researcher and contributor on many CBPAR projects with social agencies that provide health and service support to Indigenous and 2LGBTQ communities.

The scope of my current research agenda includes First Nations, Metis, Inuit, Black Indigenous, Afro Indigenous 2 Spirit, Trans, sex-worker, youth, Deaf/Hard of hearing and houseless communities. Research in these areas is increasingly salient, as resources within healthcare must be tailored to fit the unique needs of these communities by service providers. 

Projects

• 2 Spirit Council works with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to impliment MMIWG2SLGBTTQQOA+ National Action Plan: Final Report.
• WAGE grant for Transgender Health centering 2QTBIPOC Trans affirming care.
• Culturally safe harm reduction for Indigenous Mental Health workers.
• 2SLGBTQQIA+ community based research mentoring project.

• 2020 Merit Award for Promoting Indigenous Achievement, Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic), University of Manitoba – Winnipeg, MB
• 2017 Aboriginal Affairs Award, Access, Equity & Human Rights Awards, City of Toronto – Toronto, ON
• 2008 The Lillian McGregor Award of Excellence, University of Toronto – Toronto, ON
• 2008 Nominee, Premiers Award, College Compensation & Appointments Council – Toronto, ON

I bring with me an extensive teaching portfolio at a number of post-secondary institutions, where I have been instrumental in supporting students in all capacities of student life. My focus on relationship development with multiple stakeholders; both within and outside of institutions; is basis of my approach. I centre Indigenous worldviews, self-determination, resilience and promote sustainable social change. My strong ties with numerous Indigenous social service agencies and communities in Toronto, across Canada and the South Pacific reflect the strength of our highly respectful relationships. This is underscored by how often I am sought out to work with communities, including in an advisory capacity in projects, co-investigator and consultancy roles.

I have teaching interests that include an approach that is anti-colonial, 2 spirit affirming, and trauma informed perspectives. I also train, supervise and build capacity among emerging 2QTBIPOC scholars/learners who are entering the field of holistic health, harm reduction, 2SLGBTTQIA+ research and community relations/relationsips.

Lezard, P (2022). Monumental Erasures. In B. Carlson, & T. Farrely. (Ed), Global Reckonings: Disrupting Colonial Commemorations. Melbourne: Palgrave Macmillian (In negotiation)

Lezard, P., Prefontaine, N., Cederwall, D-M., Sparrow, C., Maracle, S., Beck. A., & McLeod. A (April 2021). 2SLGBTTQIA+ Sub-Working Group. MMIWG2SLGBTTQIA+ National Action: Final Report. OFIFC: Toronto

https://https://mmiwg2splus-nationalactionplan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2SLGBTQQIA-Report-Final.pdf

• Indigenous Play & Games - IDYC 208
• Indigenous-Settler Relations - ID360BR
• Gender, Sexuality & Social Justice – SOJE 370
• Introduction to Indigenous Studies – ID120BR2
• Indigenous Children and Family – ID302BR1
• Indigenous Community Organizing – ID375BR
• Indigenous Allyship & Kinship – ID401BR2

Dr. Lezard is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health, on the steering committee for TPATH 2021 Conference , an Indigenous member of Centre for Global Indigenous Futures, and they continue to be an active member on the 2 Spirit Sub-working group advocating for 2SLGBTQQIA+ folks who experience Gender Based Violence (GBV) and as an intervention are part of CMHC's Indigenous Advisory Council to ensure that housing as a social determinant of health reduces GBV. 

Conference

• 2022 Fall Panelist, “Decolonizing Board Governance” National Conference: Enchanté Network and  Fierté Canada Pride
• 2020 Fall R Panelist, “Inclusion and access: Indigenous 2 Spirit, Trans, Non-binary Relatives reclaiming Our place in the circle.” 90th Anniversary of School of Social Work International Symposium on Social Justice and Social Care – University of British Columba – Vancouver, BC
• 2019 Fall R Panelist, “Tending to the Fire, Stoking the Flames as Responsibility: A 2 Spirit Indigenous Ontology of Healing and Decolonial Social Work Practice” Holding Social Work Accountable: Resistance, Challenge and Change – Social Work Stream, SAANZ Conference 2019, University of Auckland – Auckland NZ
• 2019 Fall R Panelist, “2 Spirit Smoke Signals: Addressing gaps of current smoking cessation plans of care & access to traditional uses of tobacco.” 5th International Indigenous Voices in Social Work Conference: Healing, Reconciliation & Transformation: Approaches to Promoting Indigenous Well-Being – Hualien, Taiwan
• 2019 Spring R Community Facilitator, Symposium 8 “ Elders teach and youth reach”: Indigenous conversations on sexual health, Aboriginal Health Elders Advisory Council at Vancouver Coast Health, STI & HIV 2019 World Congress – Vancouver, BC
• 2018 Spring R Panelist, "Why Do You Get to Call Yourself Crazy & I Can't?" White Madness as Disability Identity & the De-legitimatizing of 2QTPOC Sanism, WPC, Ryerson University – Toronto, ON
• 2015 Fall R Keynote, Sovereignties and Colonialisms: Resisting Racism, Extraction and Dispossession, York University – Toronto, ON
• 2015 Winter R Presenter, Creating a Culture of Healing: A 2Spirit Syilx Woman’s Journey of Dis(man)tling the Master’s house of Learning, Indigenous Women’s Symposium, Trent University – Peterborough,ON
• 2013 Winter R Presenter, 9th Annual Indigenous and American Studies Storyteller’s Conference, University at Buffalo The State University of New York – Buffalo, NY
• 2013 Fall R Panelist, Opportunities and challenges for peer based Interventions in the HIV prevention, engagement & treatment cascade, Ontario HIV Treatment Network, Toronto, ON

Panels

• 2022 Winter Moderator, "Futurities 2SLGBTQQIA+ Youth!" Indigiqueer & Gender Diverse Speakers Series, Indigenous Studies Program, Wilfrid Laurier University - Brantford, ON
• 2022 Winter Moderator, "2SLGBTQQIA+ Families" Indigiqueer & Gender Diverse Speakers Series, Indigenous Studies Program, Wilfrid Laurier University - Brantford, ON
• 2022 Winter Moderator, “2SLGBTQQIA+ Black and Indigenous Kinship” Indigiqueer and Gender Diverse Speakers Series, Indigenous Studies Program, Wilfrid Laurier University – Brantford, ON
• 2022 Winter Moderator, "2SLGBTQQIA+ Identity" Indigiqueer and Gender Diverse Speakers Series, Indigenous Studies Program, Wilfrid Laurier University – Brantford, ON
• 2021 Fall Moderator, "2SLGBTQQIA+ during Covid" Indigiqueer and Gender Diverse Speakers Series, Indigenous Studies Program, Wilfrid Laurier University – Brantford, ON
• 2021 Fall Moderator, "Indigenize Trans Day of Remembrance" Indigiqueer and Gender Diverse Speakers Series, Indigenous Studies Program, Wilfrid Laurier University – Brantford, ON
• 2022 Fall Moderator, "2SLGBTQQIA+ on MMIWG" Indigiqueer and Gender Diverse Speakers Series, Indigenous Studies Program, Wilfrid Laurier University – Brantford, ON
• 2021 Fall Moderator, "2SLGBTQQIA+ Orange Shirt" Indigiqueer and Gender Diverse Speakers Series, Indigenous Studies Program, Wilfrid Laurier University – Brantford, ON
• 2021 Winter Panelist, Women & Gender Equity Learning Event: "Gender Diversity & Inclusivity: What We Need to Know." City of Ottawa - Ottawa, ON
• 2021 Winter Panelist, “What is your best strategy for Indigenous resurgence in academia and why?”  X University - Toronto, ON
• 2021 Winter Panelist, addressing Transgender Day of Visibility and the question how do you ensure inclusion in your academic spaces? X University – Toronto, ON
• 2021 Winter Panelist, “What is the most pressing issue in your academic field or community?" X University - Toronto, ON
• 2021 Winter Panelist, “What does being an Indigenous Intellectual mean to you??” X University - Toronto, ON
• 2019 Summer Panelist, “The Lived Realities of 2SLGBTTQIA” Fierté Canada Pride conference – Regina, SK

Scholarly Talks

• 2022 Spring Presenter, “Trusted Messenger Training” Two Spirit Program, Community Based Research Center (CBRC) - BC
• 2022 Spring Presenter, “Black, Indigenous & People of Color Gathering” LGBT Youtline – Toronto, ON
• 2022 Spring  Presenter, “Indigenous Methods and/or Two Spirit Gender-based analysis” Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – Boston, MA
• 2022 Spring Presenter, “Imagining Trans Futures” The Simpson Center for the Humanities, University of Washington – Bothell, WA
• 2022 Winter  Presenter, "Navigating Identity Based Work" Trans, Two Spirit, Non-Binary & Gender Diverse Gathering, LGBT Youthline - Toronto, ON
• 2022 Winter Presenter, "Intersecting, Indigeneity, and Settler Colonialism, Martin Luther University College - Waterloo, ON
• 2022 Winter, “Indigenous holistic wellness“ School of Disability Studies, X-University – Toronto, ON
• 2022 Fall Panelist, "Two Spirit Virtual Gathering" Community Based Research Center (CBRC)
• 2022 Fall Panelist, "Decolonizing Methodologies and Gender Webinar." Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto - Toronto, ON
• 2021 Spring Keynote Speaker, MMIWG2SLGBTTQIA+national action plan: final report - Saskatchewan Polytechnic Indigenous Students - Saskatchewan, SK
• 2019 Fall Presenter, “Inclusion & Access: 2 Spirit, Trans, Non-Binary Relatives reclaiming our place in the circle. Indigenous Scholars Speakers Series, University of Manitoba – Winnipeg, MB
• 2019 Fall Presenter, “The lived realities of 2LGBT” Fireside Chats, University of Manitoba – Winnipeg, MB
• 2019 Fall Presenter, “2 Spirit, Trans & Non-Binary Brave Spaces for Indigenous Youth!” Rec n’ Read, Kinesiology, University of Manitoba – Winnipeg, MB
• 2019 Fall  Presenter, “2 Spirit: how to welcome young learners into the circle, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba – Winnipeg, MB
• 2019 Fall Presenter, “Current Social Movements: 2 Spirit Resurgence & Futurities” UML Indigenous Cultural Competency Training (ICT), Turtle Lodge – University of Manitoba – Winnipeg, MB
• 2019 Fall Presenter, “Historic Trauma & Microaggressions” Teach-In for Reconciliation, Department Of Native Studies, University of Manitoba – Winnipeg, MB
• 2019 Fall Presenter, 2LGB, N2S Youth Wellness Gathering, Enowkin Center – Penticton, BC
• 2018 Winter Keynote Speaker, Indigenous Human Trafficking Awareness Day, Minwaashin Lodge & Tungasuvvingat Inuit – Ottawa, ON
• 2016 Fall Presenter, 2 Spirit health & wellness, Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance – Toronto, ON
• 2016 Fall Panelist, A Focus on 2LGBT Public Health, City of Toronto – Toronto, ON
• 2015 Winter Presenter, 2LGBT History, health needs & cultural safety for health providers, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Thunder Bay ON