Please see below for information on the first Working in Good Ways Knowledge Exchange session, taking place on Zoom on July 7, 12-1:30pm.

Midwifery knowledge and experiences from the Ecuadorian Amazon to the Canadian Prairies

Tuesday, July 7, 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Please register to receive the Zoom link: https://ca01web.zoom.us/meeting/register/6YEyM1ZhSIyy8y6JLRnigQ

AMUPAKIN is a collective of Kichwa midwives working in the Amazonian region of Ecuador. For over 2 decades, AMUPAKIN has been providing free, traditional birthing and prenatal care to Kichwa communities. Since 2017, AMUPAKIN has partnered with UM to provide health-sciences-focused and interdisciplinary community-engaged learning opportunities for students.

Heidi Elias has been a registered midwife in Manitoba, Canada since 2016 and an instructor with the Bachelor of Midwifery program at the University of Manitoba since 2023. In 2025, Heidi received her MSc in Midwifery from McMaster University, during which she developed an interest in how social and reproductive justice initiatives intersect with the profession of midwifery. She was born and raised on Treaty 1 territory in southern Manitoba, where she is now also raising her own spunky little girl.

Miriam Brown is an Instructor in the Bachelor of Midwifery Program and has practiced as a midwife in Manitoba for more than 16 years in both urban and rural communities. She completed her midwifery education in El Paso, Texas, where working in a border community shaped her commitment to equitable, respectful, and holistic maternity care. In 2025, she earned a MSc in Midwifery from McMaster University, focusing on equitable access to care in Manitoba and the impact of regulation on midwifery practice.

Working in Good Ways Knowledge Exchange

This conversation is part of the Working in Good Ways Knowledge Exchange, which provides an opportunity for some of the Indigenous and community-based groups and organizations who contributed to the Working in Good Ways framework and resourceshttps://umanitoba.ca/working-in-good-ways to share their knowledge and experiences working in rural and remote communities in Northern Manitoba, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The WIGW Knowledge Exchange is generously funded by the UM Indigenous Initiatives Fund.

-- Anny Chen (she/anyhttps://pronouns.org/) Lead, Community Engaged Learning Community, Career, and Experiential Learning Centre, Student Affairs Phone: 204 474 6992 Office: Room 203 – 55 Chancellor’s Circlehttps://umanitoba.ca/community-engaged-learning/social-justice-hub#access-information Web: umanitoba.ca/community-engaged-learninghttp://umanitoba.ca/community-engaged-learning

Upcoming vacation: July 9-24

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The University of Manitoba campuses and research spaces are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anisininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Dene and Inuit, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.

UM recognizes that the Treaties signed on these lands are a lifelong, enduring relationship, and we are dedicated to upholding their spirit and intent. We acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past and the present. With this understanding, we commit to supporting Indigenous excellence through active Reconciliation, meaningful change, and the creation of an environment where everyone can thrive. Our collaboration with Indigenous communities is grounded in respect and reciprocity and this guides how we move forward as an institution.