Dawn T Maracle, M. Ed. is the founder and Executive Director of the nationally registered not-for-profit HOPES (Healing Our Peoples through Education, Sports, and Social justice) Indigenous Training Network. A Mohawk who sits with the Bear Clan from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, Dawn was first exposed to Haudenosaunee culture and language by her grandmother, Beaulah Hill, whom she lived with as a child. Early teachers included Hereditary Chief Jacob Thomas and Ernie Benedict, along with many Haudenosaunee and Indigenous Elders, Traditional Teachers and Knowledge Carriers from across Canada and around the globe.
Dawn obtained a BAH from Trent University in Native Studies, a B. Ed. from Queen’s University in the Aboriginal Teacher Education (ATEP), an M.Ed. from OISE in Adult and Indigenous Education, and a Certificate in Indigenous Trauma-Informed Care from OFIFC-U of T. She has taught Indigenous Studies, and consulted on Indigenous issues, diversity and inclusion over three decades.
Dawn has worked as the National Chair for the AFN Post-Secondary Education / INAC Working Group. She was the first to take the initiative to travel to Australia and help them develop the first Indigenous cancer unit in their country. Dawn was a prestigious member of the UNESCO Arts and Education Roundtable, and recipient of the International Day to End Racism and Discrimination (IDERD) Award.
Dawn is a nominee of Trent University’s Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Canada Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB) ‘Indigenous Women in Business Award’. She has emceed on local, national and international stages to audiences of over 20, 000
such as at the Parliament of World Religions in Salt Lake City, and numerous women’s marches across Toronto. Dawn has organized, curated, and emceed at numerous Indigenous storytelling and music conferences across Canada.
She was featured in “Breaking through Barriers,” in the Canada Council for Indigenous Business’ Fall 2020 issue of the Aboriginal Business Report on Aboriginal Women in Business. She was also featured in a video shown at the Toronto Argonauts game in June 2022 about sports and reconciliation, produced by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE). This video can be seen in short and long form on their social media.
Dawn is the first female Co-Chair of the CFL Alumni Association’s Indigenous Champion Award, which prioritizes coaches or other folks championing football and/or other sports across Canada with Indigenous youth; presented in a different region annually at the Grey Cup Festival. Dawn has cheered and danced for three professional teams, as well as for the Aboriginal Achievement Awards. Dawn opened the CFLAA Awards Luncheon at Hamilton’s Grey Cup Festival 2023 and performed Haudenosaunee dance. Dawn is the first Argo Cheer Alumni to be asked to join the Argo Player’s Alumni Board; and the Canadian Football Cheer Alumni Organization’s inaugural and current Director of the Argo Cheer Alumni. Dawn has co-hosted the Argos to deliver a flag-football workshop in her home community of Tyendinaga over the last three years, and her dream is to spread this work creating and improving CFL Teams’ Indigenous partnerships across the country. Dawn has taught traditional Haudenosaunee stick games and ball-making workshops across Ontario, and advocated for women’s lacrosse inclusion at the Canada Games, and lacrosse inclusion at the Commonwealth Forum (Victoria 2022).
