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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

Local Contexts Our Governance webpage. Three rectangles in teal, orange, and green titled “Our Vision. Our Mission. Our Values.” Announcement

Building Community Into How Local Contexts Does Its Work

Jan 30, 2023 The Local Contexts project grew from the needs of Indigenous and local organizations who wanted a practical method to deal with the range of intellectual… …
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Title slide of ArchivesSpace webinar. “Local Contexts initiative and integration plugin for ArchivesSpace. January 18, 2023 – Webinar.” At top left and bottom right, ArchiveSpace logo with large A in three blue shades. Talks

Local Contexts initiative and integration plugin for ArchivesSpace

Nov 18, 2022 In this webinar, Jane Anderson of New York University and Co-Director of Local Contexts gave an introduction to the Local Contexts initiative and newly launched… …
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Resources

Grounding Indigenous Rights in DataCite metadata

Nov 16, 2022 DataCite is an organization that provides and helps to manage and share DOIs (​​Digital Object Identifiers, a persistent identifier) for research data and outputs. By… …
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Poster for Natives in Tech Conference 2022: Developing Sovereignty in Tech. “Nov 4 & 5, 2022. Local Contexts: Supporting Indigenous data sovereignty in digital infrastructures. https://nativesintech.org/conference/2022” Two circles with headshots of Dr. Janette Hamilton-Pearce and Corrie Roe. Talks

Natives in Tech Conference 2022

Nov 2, 2022 Local Contexts took part in the two-day virtual Natives in Tech Conference 2022: Developing Sovereignty in Tech. Programme Lead, Dr. Janette Hamilton-Pearce, and Institution Outreach… …
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Articles, Resources

Guidance Documentation for Implementing Labels in ERGA

Oct 19, 2022 The European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) in partnership with COPO and Local Contexts has created a guide for biodiversity researchers to support the inclusion of… …
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Articles

Benefit sharing: Why inclusive provenance metadata matter

Sep 21, 2022 A new journal article published today speaks to the need to establish Indigenous data provenance in genetic research. Co-authored by Local Contexts team members and… …
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Event poster for “We All Count: Talking Data Equity. Free webinar. October 28, 12 pm EDT.” At the bottom is the Local Contexts logo, a black circle made of dots. Talks

We All Count’s “Talking Data Equity”

Sep 16, 2022 We All Count’s “Talking Data Equity” is a series of weekly drop-in conversations addressing questions with people who are working on operationalizing data equity. Local… …
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Film still showing Jane Anderson, a white person with short brown hair with a black and white shirt and silver earrings. Films, Resources

The Problem of Property

Aug 11, 2022 In this film, Dr. Jane Anderson, Founder of Local Contexts, discusses the language of "property," "ownership," and the real, tangible questions around culture and cultural… …
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Poster for “Supporting Indigenous Data: Introducing the Traditional Knowledge and Biocultural Labels: People, Plants and the Law.” Black and orange tree illustration at right. The University of Queensland Australia logo in top left. Talks

Supporting Indigenous Data: Introducing the Traditional Knowledge and Biocultural Labels

May 11, 2022 The lecture series, People, Plants and the Law from the University of Queensland School of Law, explores the legal and lively entanglements of human and… …
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Poster for Indigenous Teaching Fellow Local Contexts presentation: “The Indigenous Teaching Fellow Series and Western Libraries present Local Contexts: Supporting Indigenous Rights and Interests in Data and Collections.” Headshots for Dr Janette Hamilton-Pearce, Corrie Roe, and Felicia Garcia. At bottom, logos for Indigenous Initiatives and Western Libraries. Talks

Local Contexts: Supporting Indigenous Rights and Interests in Data and Collections

Apr 28, 2022 Join Local Contexts’ Programme Lead Dr. Janette Hamilton-Pearce (Te Whānau-Ā-Āpanui), Community Outreach Manager Felicia Garcia (Samala Chumash), and Institution Outreach Manager Corrie Roe for a… …
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Poster for Sciences and the Sacred Seminar Series. “O Ke Kahua Ma Mua, Ma Hope O Ke Kūkulu: What is Indigenous Data Sovereignty?” Beneath, speaker headshots, names, and positions for Dr. Stephany Russo Carroll, Māui Hudson, and moderator Dr. Rosie Alegado. “Thursday, April 7, 2022. 6:00-7:30 pm HST. Zoom. Register at sciencesandthesacred.com. Hosted by Hawai’i Sea Grant Ulana ‘Ike Center of Excellence & The Biocultural Initiative of the Pacific with Support from Uh Mānoa Seed Ideas.” At bottom right, the three host logos. Talks

Sciences and the Sacred: Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Knowledge Stewardship

Apr 5, 2022 The Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Ulana ‘Ike Center of Excellence and the Biocultural Initiative of the Pacific hosted an online seminar series that will featured Indigenous… …
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Event poster. “School for Advanced Research Creative Thought Forum 2022 Lecture Series. Seeking Justice: Toward a More Equitable America. Finding Just Solutions to Appropriations of Indigenous Creations. March 31, 2022. 2:00 PM MDT. Hosted online free.” Decorative blue background showing outline of the United States with lines connecting dots. Talks

Finding Just Solutions to Appropriation of Indigenous Creation

Mar 29, 2022 Join Local Contexts Co-Director, Jane Anderson, in conversation with Trevor Reed and Madhavi Sunder for “Finding Just Solutions to Appropriation of Indigenous Creation.” Hosted by… …
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Article from Frontiers in Genetics: “Using Indigenous Standards to Implement the CARE Principles: Setting Expectations through Tribal Research Codes”. Authors are Stephanie Russo Carroll, Brahmin Garba, Rebecca Plevel, Desi Small-Rodriguez, Vanessa Y. Hiratsuka, Maui Hudon, and Nanibaa’ A. Garrison. Published March 21, 2022. Page is split into three columns with black text on white background. Two headers: “Introduction. Indigenous Peoples and Data.” Articles

Using Indigenous Standards to Implement the CARE Principles: Setting Expectations through Tribal Research Codes

Mar 15, 2022 Maui Hudson, Co-Director of Local Contexts, and several others published an article in Frontiers in Genetics titled "Using Indigenous Standards to Implement the CARE Principles:… …
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Slide. “eCampusOntario. Supporting Indigenous Rights and Interests in Open Data and Collections. Jane Anderson, New York University. Maui Hudson, Whakatōhea, University of Waikato.” At top on white banner, blue text, with circle of rainbow-colored dots at left: “ENRICH: Equity for Indigenous Research & Innovation Coordinating Hub.” Resources, Talks

eCampusOntario: An Overview with Local Contexts

Mar 4, 2022 This presentation with eCampusOntario was an introduction to the Local Contexts initiative and demonstration of the newly launched Local Contexts Hub. The Local Contexts team… …
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Screenshot of Te Hau o te Taonga poster. Resources

Te Hau o te Taonga

Nov 25, 2021 Te Hau o te Taonga: Kia piri te tikanga ki te mātauranga e rere ana. This poster gives an overview of how the Local Contexts… …
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Molecular Ecology journal cover, Volume 30, Number 11, June 2021. Background is blue, title is white. Beneath title, an image of two brownish yellow birds facing each other, one in a nest with open beak and the other on a branch near the nest. Articles

Molecular Ecology: “Creating space for Indigenous perspectives on access and benefit-sharing: Encouraging researcher use of the Local Contexts Notices”

Apr 21, 2021 Libby Higgins, Maui Hudson, and Jane Anderson encourage researchers to use TK, BC, and CI Labels and Notices to help Indigenous communities gain visibility within… …
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Penobscot Nation seal. Announcement, Resources

Penobscot Nation receives grant for Intellectual Property and Tribal Governance training

Nov 23, 2020 The Penobscot Nation, in collaboration with New York University, has received a two-year IMLS grant to deliver intellectual property support and governance to twelve Tribes… …
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Video still of James Francis, a man wearing a navy jacket, gray shirt, and beaded medallion in black, white, and blue, speaking in front of framed abstract red artwork. His on-screen title is Director of the Department of Cultural and Historic Preservation, Penobscot Nation. Resources

Listen to a Penobscot Community Perspective

Sep 20, 2020 James Francis, Sr. (Penobscot Nation) discusses using the Traditional Knowledge Labels in the Penobscot community. Click to watch the video here. …
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Poster for Indigenous Data Sovereignty: A School of Transformation Seminar. Image behind title shows Dr Maggie Walter and Dr Stephanie Russo Carroll engaged in conversation. Talks

“Indigenous Data Sovereignty” Seminar at ASU

Dec 17, 2018 "Indigenous data sovereignty is the right of Indigenous peoples to govern the collection, ownership, and application of data about Indigenous communities, nations, peoples, lands, and… …
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