Lecture Series
Mary Ann Shadd Cary Lecture Series: Voices of Change in Canadian Journalism
The Annual Mary Ann Shadd Cary Lecture honours her legacy by featuring prominent women and non-binary speakers from historically misrepresented or underrepresented communities. They will inspire the next generation of diverse journalists and media leaders, provide critical insights on creating a more inclusive media environment, and connect students with role models who bring classroom concepts to life. The series has pedagogical purpose — journalism students receive a practical workshop from the speaker, and three students are hired and trained to co-moderate the discussion following the lecture.
Tuesday Oct 6, 2026
From Listening to Understanding: Indigenous Journalism as a Force for Change with Eden Fineday
The featured speaker for the 2026 Mary Ann Shadd Cary Lecture is Eden Fineday, a nêhiyaw (Cree) journalist from Sweetgrass First Nation in Treaty 6 territory and the publisher of IndigiNews, an award-winning Indigenous-led newsroom.
Save the Date
Join us at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 6 in Richcraft Hall at Carleton University, for a reception before Eden’s 7 p.m. lecture, From Listening to Understanding: Indigenous Journalism as a Force for Change. She will be joined on stage by journalism students who are hired to gain experience co-moderating a public event. During the day, Eden will also meet with students to talk about journalism, entrepreneurship, and IndigiNews. The event will also be livestreamed. RSVP for the event here.
This is the second Mary Ann Shadd Cary Lecture, designed to amplify women and non-binary journalists’ voices of change, and the first-ever lecture series named for a woman in the history of Carleton’s journalism program. This landmark lecture is possible thanks to individual donations and supporting funds from the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.
More about Eden Fineday
Eden has been publisher of IndigiNews since 2021, and is the CEO and co-founder of tâpwêwinmedia, a national Indigenous media nonprofit which acquired IndigiNews in 2025. She’s a co-founder of the Indigenous Media Association of Canada, a national association for Indigenous journalists and broadcasters. Her work has been published in the Washington Post and her writing has been recognized by her peers, including the City Mike Award from the Jack Webster Foundation and First Place for Best Column from the Indigenous Journalists Association. She lives with gratitude on the lands of the the Hən̓q̓əmin̓əm-speaking Peoples. Eden approaches her work with a commitment to cultural safety, both within newsrooms and in relationship with community. She is passionate about supporting Indigenous storytellers and making space for stories that reflect lived experience and uphold Indigenous worldviews.
Donate to the Annual Mary Ann Shadd Cary Lecture Series
The Mary Ann Shadd Cary Lecture is the first at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication to be named after a woman, celebrating the voices of women and non-binary leaders from underrepresented communities. It was co-founded by Nana aba Duncan and Trish Audette-Longo. Find out more about last year’s event below.
2025 – INAUGURAL MARY ANN SHADD CARY LECTURE A SUCCESS
The inaugural Mary Ann Shadd Cary Lecture on Monday October 6, 2025 was a success!
The Mary Ann Shadd Cary Lecture is the first at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication to be named after a woman, celebrating the voices of women and non-binary leaders from underrepresented communities.
This first lecture featured Camille Dundas, a Carleton journalism alumna and co-founder and editor-in-chief of the award-winning online magazine ByBlacks.com, Canada’s leading Black online magazine. Dundas shared how ByBlacks.com serves Black communities in Canada, including her investigative work on missing Black boys. She also had advice for journalists in the 150-plus audience: avoid self-abandonment and embrace your uniqueness.
“Do not abandon that thing that makes you wake up in the morning,” she said. “We need your voice. Every single one of you brings something unique to this conversation.”
A key feature of this event is the student-led discussion following the lecture, offering inspiration and practical learning for the next generation of journalists. This year, Simone R. Brown, Sarah Harb, Georgia Looman joined Dundas on stage, crafted strong questions about the future of journalism, and delivered an engaging conversation.
The lecture was co-founded by Nana aba Duncan and Trish Audette-Longo, and featured a student-led discussion following the lecture, offering inspiration and practical learning for the next generation of journalists.
