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Upcoming Events
Local Contexts Hub Information Session
Do you have questions about Local Contexts or the Local Contexts Hub? Curious about how you can use the Traditional Knowledge and Biocultural Labels and Notices to support Indigenous data sovereignty and cultural authority? Sign-up for a group informational or Hub demonstration session with the Local Contexts team!
Cultural Institution Working Group meeting
We look forward to connecting for another Cultural Institution Working Group meeting on June 25th, UTC! For this meeting, we have heard that many of our newer group members would appreciate an overview of the work that Local Contexts does, and some updates about new and different programs. If you have been following Local Contexts …
State of the World’s Plants and Fungi Symposium
Local Contexts Strategic Advisor Maui Hudson (Whakatōhea) will present as part of the State of the World’s Plants and Fungi Symposium, online and in-person at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London, UK. On July 1 UTC, Maui will present “Acknowledging local contexts: Recognising Indigenous knowledge and provenance as part of the biocultural value of collections” …
Genomic Standards Consortium 2026
Local Contexts team members will present at the 26th International Meeting of the Genomics Standards Consortium in Rotorua, Aotearoa New Zealand. This GSC meeting will bring together researchers, data stewards, and standards developers to examine how genomic repositories can support responsible, interoperable, and culturally grounded uses of AI. On August 12 NZT, Strategic Advisor Maui …
ATALM 2026
The Local Contexts team will be attending and presenting at the 2026 International Conference of Indigenous Archives, Libraries, and Museum held September 21-25 in Spokane, Washington, United States. The team is currently slotted to present a half-day pre-conference workshop on the Local Contexts tools for Indigenous communities, and a session with collaborators from the Indianapolis …
![Text on a decorative yellow background: “[The] transition to more relational science practices is not only about more inclusive science, it is about upholding Indigenous Peoples’ sovereignty and self-determination, and adhering to the free, prior, and informed consent for engaging with data.” Lydia Jennings, Katherine Jones, Riley Taitingfong, Andrew Martinez, Dominique David-Chavez, Rosanna ‘Anolani Alegado, Adrien Tofighi-Niaki, Julie Maldonado, Bill Thomas, Dennis Dye, Jeff Weber, Katie V. Spellman, Scott Ketchum, Ruth Duerr,
Noor Johnson, Jennifer Balch, & Stephanie Russo Carroll in “Governance of Indigenous Data in Open Earth Systems Science,” Nature Communications (2025)16:572, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53480-2.](https://localcontexts.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Nature-Communications-25-2-3-2.png)
![Text on decorative green background. “Creating a world in which animals in museums are cared for in a culturally connected way requires first caring about identification. [Then we] can flag items for return or create opportunities for communities with ties to these remains to provide meaningful context for their care.” Jimmy Arterberry (Comanche Nation) from “Better Care Urged for Animal Remains Tied to Indigenous People,” by Amanda Heidt, Science Magazine (January 2, 2025). White Local Contexts logo in bottom right corner.](https://localcontexts.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Science-MagazineAnimal-Remains.png)
![Text on a decorative yellow background: “It’s not a free-for-all… ‘Accessible’ means somebody can access it but you are still allowed to regulate it… [To scientists who might feel strongly about unrestricted access to data:] you should check your ethics. That kind of thinking assumes best intentions, but [is] a little bit naïve, and within that naïveté is where bad actors can slip in.” Rosie Alegado (Kanaka ʻŌiwi) in “Open with Care: Indigenous researchers and communities are reshaping how Western science thinks about data ownership” by Sandeep Ravindran, Science Magazine
Text on a decorative yellow background: “Too often Indigenous Peoples have been told … they need to contribute their DNA so that it benefits humankind, and unfortunately Indigenous Peoples are the last to benefit…If that means upending the model so that Indigenous Peoples have proper stewardship and ownership of their data, then that’s a data future that I’m optimistic for.” Krystal Tsosie (Diné) in “Open with Care: Indigenous researchers and communities are reshaping how Western science thinks about data ownership” by Sandeep Ravindran, Science Magazine](https://localcontexts.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2-e1730828572667.png)
