Next stop Cambridge for Trinity College grad

June 11, 2019 by Alexa Zulak - A&S News

It was the ethics stream of Trinity College’s One Program that fourth-year student Gina Kwon credits with kick-starting her interest in the ethics, society & law major.

“I met some great friends and faculty mentors in Trinity One Ethics and knew I wanted to stay among an inspiring network of people,” said Kwon.

It didn’t take long for Kwon to find her place within the college.

“My professors genuinely had my best interests at heart and gave me perspective on what type of person to be, not just academically but as a human being,” said Kwon. “I am so fortunate for the sincere care and support of the faculty and staff at Trinity College.”

Kwon spent the summer of 2017 working as a research assistant to Sean Kerins, a researcher in the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research at the Australian National University, after receiving a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship (QES).

The international initiative pairs students with organizations in commonwealth countries that focus on social impact, literacy, scientific research, education or Indigenous advocacy.

“I realized how little I knew about Indigenous-settler relations today,” said Kwon. “I applied to QES to gain some clarity and perspective and was met with a plethora of cross-cultural insights.”

During her time at the Australian National University, Kwon explored the disputes between Indigenous community members and the mining companies trying to operate on their land without their consent in Northern Territory, Australia.

“One Indigenous community leader kept saying, ‘It doesn’t matter what white people try to do to take our law and culture. We’ll be back. We might stay down for a while but we’ll be back,’” said Kwon.

“Through stories, laws, oral histories and pedagogies, as well as Sean Kerins's expertise and leadership, I learned so much more than what I expected to.”

Her experiences have made a significant impact on Kwon’s life back in Canada as well.

Be honest about the things you don't know. It's okay to not know. We'll always be learning.

She stresses the importance of non-Indigenous peoples challenging and dismantling colonial structures, while showing solidarity with Indigenous peoples and ensuring their voices are heard and acted on and livelihoods respected in good faith.

“This isn’t only a matter of human rights, or restorative or transitional justice. These issues also speak to our legacy as human beings. We all affect our relations with each other and the environment, both intergenerationally and interculturally,” said Kwon.

Kwon spent the past year as a research student at ElevateNWO, a community-based, not-for-profit organization based out of Thunder Bay, as part of Trinity’s Community Research Partnerships on Ethics Program.

The organization provides services, opportunities and programs to improve the lives of and empower people living with, affected by or at risk of HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis C.

“Thunder Bay has one of the highest concentrations of urban Indigenous peoples. I was able to see the symptoms of colonialism through Indigenous-settler disparities in health and living conditions,” said Kwon.

“With the helpful guidance of my faculty supervisor and the director of ElevateNWO, I spent this past year on the ground documenting the services and programs they offered, like "Ellie", a remodelled ambulance vehicle used to bring mobile HIV and Hepatitis tests to the community, along with snacks, warm food, and harm prevention kits such as naloxone.”

And while she’s fresh off a post-exam road trip down the California coast, Kwon will soon be packing her bags once again.

This fall, she’ll make her way to the U.K. where she’ll be pursuing a Master of Philosophy in Environmental Policy in the Department of Land Economy at the University of Cambridge.

Intent on writing her dissertation on the role of legal pluralism in land claims on Turtle Island, Kwon is especially looking forward to attending seminars at the Cambridge Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance.

Aside from her studies, she’s looking forward to exploring the U.K.

“I've never been to the U.K., nor has my family, so I'm excited to assume full tourist duties.”

As for what advice Kwon would give to future U of T students, it’s simple: “Be honest about the things you don't know. It's okay to not know. We'll always be learning.”

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