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Upcoming Events

NYU Film Screening and Discussion

November 16, 2026
, 21:00 UTC - 22:30 UTC

In partnership with Local Contexts and Center CIRCL, NYU Libraries is excited to present a screening of the short documentary Awasəwehlαwə́lətinα wikəwαmok | They Returned Home, followed by a discussion with Dr. Jordan Kinder, Assistant Professor of Media, Culture, and Communications. The film charts the groundbreaking work undertaken by the Penobscot Nation to restore Penobscot …

Cultural Institutions Working Group meeting

November 17, 2026
, 18:00 UTC
More info

The next Cultural Institution Working Group meeting will be held November 17 UTC. For this meeting, we will hear from the group’s Chair, Gwen Saul, and colleagues at the New York State Museum. Their team has engaged in a long term effort to implement Local Contexts Notices, and have launched their use within their collections …

Local Contexts Hub Information Session

December 2, 2026
, 22:00 UTC

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!

Local Contexts Virtual Office Closed

December 28, 2026 - January 1, 2027
 

The Local Contexts team will be away from our desks December 28-January 1 for a year-end break. If you have any questions during this time, please contact us through our website, and we will get back to you when we return to our desks on January 4, 2027.

TUM Project Week: Data Ethics in Practice

January 11, 2027 - January 15, 2027
 

The Technical University of Munich’s Project Weeks create a framework in which students and lecturers work on innovative solutions to current problems across disciplines, curricula, and locations. Local Contexts is thrilled to collaborate with TUM to offer students a chance to engage in a shared space of theoretical and practical technical problem-solving with the goal …

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News and Resources

White text on a decorative blue and green background: “Indigenous Peoples have long been researchers and innovators... contributing to scientific advancement while upholding their role as guardians of the earth. The unique and vital relationship Indigenous Peoples have with the environment must be respected and protected, especially in the context of modern genetic research.” From Katie Lee Riddle interview, “Digital Sequence Information Poses Risks to Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Biodiversity,” Cultural Survival (2024). Articles, Resources

​​A Cultural Survival Interview with Katie Lee Riddle: Protecting Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Digital Sequence Information

Oct 31, 2024 Cultural Survival recently published an interview with Māori researcher Katie Lee Riddle (Rongowhakaata) where she discusses the critical risks posed by Digital Sequence Information to… …
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Amy June Breesman Headshot Announcement

Welcoming Amy June Breesman, Help Desk Lead

Oct 29, 2024 We are excited to announce that Amy June Breesman (she/her) has joined Local Contexts as our Help Desk Lead! Amy June (Eastern Shawnee/German/Irish) is passionate… …
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A grid of six video call screens featuring individuals. The Local Contexts logo and dark teal text overlay at the bottom reading, Talks

Supporting Indigenous Relationships and Acknowledgements in Scientific Research with BC Labels

Oct 28, 2024 Indigenous Peoples have the right to make decisions about the future use of information, biological collections, data, and digital sequence information that derives from associated… …
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Headshot of Seth Kurke Announcement

Welcoming Seth Kurke, Communications & Marketing Lead

Oct 15, 2024 We are excited to announce that Seth Kurke has joined Local Contexts as the Communications & Marketing Lead. Seth (Blackfeet/European descendant) is dedicated to advancing… …
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Announcement

The Power of Ten: Celebrating our First 10 Subscribers!

Aug 27, 2024 AUTHOR Dr. Stephany RunningHawk JohnsonFounding Executive Director, Local Contexts The journey to support Indigenous data sovereignty is a multi-generational effort. We are working to ensure… …
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“Indigenous communities have expressed a need to understand where genetic resources are and how they are being used. ... The Labels can help communities identify what research has been done and who is utilizing genetic resources and DSI. It enables communities to have their name associated with those data resources and publications. Recognizing Indigenous Interests: Labeling DSI with Provenance Metadata by Jane Anderson, Maui Hudson, Stephany RunningHawk Johnson, KatieLee Riddle. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13172148.” Text on decorative yellow background with Local Contexts logo, a ring made of dots. Articles

New policy brief on recognizing Indigenous provenance in metadata

Aug 19, 2024 “Recognizing Indigenous Interests: Labeling DSI with Provenance Metadata” highlights how the Local Contexts Labels and Notices are becoming essential tools for recognizing Indigenous provenance, protocols,… …
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Photo of Dr. Stephany RunningHawk Johnson at the Creative Commons Workshop held in Lisbon in May 2024 Announcement

Reflecting on Sustainability: My First Six Months as Local Contexts Executive Director

Jul 25, 2024 Caption: Photo of Dr. Stephany RunningHawk Johnson at the Creative Commons Workshop held in Lisbon in May 2024 AUTHOR Dr. Stephany RunningHawk JohnsonFounding Executive Director,… …
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“Join our team! Seeking applicants.” Text on decorative teal background with green square outline. Announcement

We are hiring!

Jul 19, 2024 Join our team! Visit our Jobs page for more information on how to apply. …
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“Newfields joins as 1st founding supporter. Joint press release.” Logos for Local Contexts and Newfields. Decorative yellow background. Blog summary text: Local Contexts welcomes Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields as its first Founding Supporter. Announcement, Press Release

Welcoming Founding Supporter Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields

Jun 14, 2024 AUTHOR Dr. Stephany RunningHawk JohnsonFounding Executive Director, Local Contexts Local Contexts has made great strides in our work to create a sustainable platform dedicated to… …
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Talks

Ethical Open Science for Past Global Change FAIROS RCN Webinar

Jun 12, 2024 On May 21, 2024, Local Contexts team members presented a webinar for the Ethical Open Science for Past Global Change FAIROS RCN. The webinar shared… …
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Talks

Practical Approaches to Reparative Description Workshop Series: Local Contexts

Apr 25, 2024 On April 25, 2024, Local Contexts team members presented a webinar for the Digital Public Library of America’s Practical Approaches to Reparative Description Workshop Series.… …
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“Announcement,” white text on decorative teal background. Announcement

Service Provider Early Adopter Program

Apr 4, 2024 AUTHOR Dr. Stephany RunningHawk JohnsonFounding Executive Director, Local Contexts Local Contexts launched our Hub platform in beta in October 2021. Since then, we have welcomed… …
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Films, Resources

E Kore Au E Ngaro | The Connection Remains

Nov 28, 2023 Check out this film by the Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board and Local Contexts. As global momentum grows to properly value Indigenous ways of knowing alongside… …
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Photo of Stephany RunningHawk Johnson Announcement

Introducing Founding Executive Director Stephany RunningHawk Johnson

Nov 20, 2023 AUTHOR James E. Francis, Sr.Chair, Local Contexts Council, Department of Cultural and Historic Preservation, Penobscot Nation. We recently completed a search for our Founding Executive… …
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“Announcement,” white text on decorative teal background. Announcement

Mellon Foundation Grants Local Contexts Start-up Funding

Nov 13, 2023 We are thrilled to announce that the Mellon Foundation has awarded Local Contexts funds to support our initial organizational leadership and operations. This two-year US$2.5… …
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Announcement

Local Contexts Summit

Sep 15, 2023 The second Local Contexts Summit and film premiere was held 28 November in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand). The Summit brought together people from… …
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“CBIKS: Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science” graphic with a composite of 59 headshots. Announcement

Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science Launch

Sep 15, 2023 Photo Credit: Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst Launched last week, the Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science (CBIKS)… …
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Poster for webinar. “Local Contexts for Researchers. Webinar, July 19, 5-6:30 pm ET.” The Local Contexts logo, a ring made of white dots. Announcement

Local Contexts for Researchers

Jun 22, 2023 Are you a researcher excited about supporting Indigenous rights in your data and publications?  Do you want to know how the Local Contexts Notices help… …
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Jenn Neptune sits at a table creating small baskets. Films, Resources

Awasəwehlαwə́lətinα wikəwαmok | They Returned Home

May 26, 2023 Check out this film by the Penobscot Nation and Local Contexts that charts the groundbreaking work undertaken by the Penobscot Nation to restore Penobscot cultural… …
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Local Contexts Members, Subscribers, and Service Providers webpage. Teal at top, wavy line of orange beneath title. Headings for “What is a Member?” and “What is a Subscriber?” Announcement

Generational Sustainability of Local Contexts

May 23, 2023 Founded in 2010, Local Contexts is a community initiative that partners with Indigenous communities, organizations, information infrastructure providers, universities, and scholarly associations to fundamentally change… …
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Event poster. “Local Contexts Summit 2023. May 10, 10am-4pm EDT. Center for Art, Research and Alliances (CARA), 225 W 13th, Lenapehoking, New York City, and online. Indigenous authority, control, & governance over Indigenous knowledges and data in the humanities and the sciences.” Decorative background shows mountain ranges in shades of blue. Local Contexts logo, a circle made of dots. Announcement

Local Contexts Summit

Apr 19, 2023 The first Local Contexts Summit was on May 10 in Lenapehoking (New York City). The Summit brought people together from across the Local Contexts community with a focus… …
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Screenshot of the Local Contexts newsletter on a decorative blue background showing headers “Land Acknowledgement” and “Welcome Message.” Announcement, Resources

Local Contexts Newsletter

Apr 19, 2023 We are excited to launch the Local Contexts newsletter! In each newsletter, you will find a collection of the tools and support Local Contexts has… …
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Left: White text on a decorative green background: “The rise of digital archaeology highlights questions about whose archaeological heritage is collected and digitized, who decides what information is stored and where, what is shareable and shared, with whom digital data are shared, how they are cared for, and how they are curated for future use. Gupta, N., Martindale, A., Supernant, K., & Elvidge, M. (2023). The CARE Principles and the Reuse, Sharing, and Curation of Indigenous Data in Canadian Archaeology. Advances in Archaeological Practice, 11(1), 76-89. doi:10.1017/aap.2022.33” Middle: Articles, Resources

CARE Principles in Archaeology

Mar 9, 2023 The Traditional Knowledge and Biocultural Labels were recently included in an article published by Advances in Archaeological Practice about the application of the CARE Principles… …
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Articles

Operationalizing CARE Principles and Indigenous Data Sovereignty in Genomic Research

Mar 1, 2023 The Research Data Alliance recently published a blog about operationalizing the CARE Principles and Indigenous Data Sovereignty in a genomic research project. Written by genomicist… …
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