Ivy Native Conference: Keynote Address

Giiwedin Indizhinikaaz

Two-spirit water protector and land-based educator.

Giiwedin is an Ojibwe Two-Spirit water protector and land-based educator dedicated to the restoration of Indigenous kinship with the land and water. A powerful voice for the wellness of the natural world, Giiwedin’s work bridges the gap between traditional seasonal cycles and modern digital spaces. Through their platform, @giiwedinindizhinikaaz, they share the beauty of Ojibwe culture, the vital history of Queer Indigenous acceptance, and the urgent realities of environmental justice.



Deeply rooted in the soil and waters of northern Minnesota, Giiwedin serves as a steward of manoomin (wild rice). During the harvest moons of August and September, they lead wild rice camps on their family’s ancestral land, teaching the traditional harvesting and processing methods that have sustained their people for generations. For Giiwedin, manoomin is more than a food source; it is a relative that requires our protection. This commitment to the water led them to the front lines of the protest against the Line 3 tar sands pipeline, where they used their voice to defend the sacred watersheds from industrial harm. 



Giiwedin’s leadership and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ Indigenous community have earned them national recognition, including being named one of GLAAD and Teen Vogue’s 20 Under 20 honorees for changemakers in 2022. By weaving together the threads of queer identity and Indigenous sovereignty, they remind us that our liberation is inherently linked to the health of the earth. As a land-based educator, Giiwedin continues to inspire a new generation to return to the water, honor our plant kin, and live in balance with the original instructions of our ancestors.