Real Consequences of Valuing Cultural Diversity

Marcia Anderson, MD, is Cree-Anishinaabe whose roots go back to the Norway House Cree Nation and Peguis First Nation in Manitoba. She graduated with her M.D. from the University of Manitoba in 2002 and has since served in a variety of leadership roles, including as head of the Section of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Health; medical officer of health for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority; a past president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada and executive director, Indigenous academic affairs, Ongomiizwin-Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing.

As a medical resident, Dr. Anderson found the opportunity to connect with her cultural identity through experiences with healthcare for indigenous peoples. This journey also showed her firsthand the racism that is systemic in healthcare and how it can have marginalizing and even life-threatening effects on minority peoples. 

Dr. Anderson shares with the Center Stage audience her efforts to combat discrimination against and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion for indigenous peoples, their knowledge, and their traditions. She also challenges us to think about our biases and make ourselves uncomfortable in the pursuit of inclusiveness in our organizations and communities. 

Dr. Anderson is an advocate, researcher, and leader in the areas of Indigenous health, primary health care, and medical education. In 2016, she presented a TED Talk on Indigenous Knowledge to Close Gaps in Indigenous Health. In 2018, she was named as one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women by Women’s Executive Network.