Date: Sunday, October 11, 2026
Hi, my name is Cassie Anderson, and I’m a proud citizen of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s, located in north central Montana.
I’m a social worker by trade, and I recently transitioned into my role as the Director of the Center for Indigenous Research, Collaboration, Learning & Excellence (CIRCLE), a program of the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations (HL7N), a youth residential treatment facility in Spokane, Washington. Our team is doing some really fun and innovative work. At HL7N, we have deep rooted experience helping youth navigate their healing journeys, but research and evaluation are new territory for us. We’re learning and growing in this work and if I’m being honest, sometimes I question whether we’re moving in the right direction.
So, when I had the opportunity to attend the Indigenous Evaluation Gathering, I was excited…and nervous.
I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. What I found was something much bigger than I imagined.
The room was full of relatives from all over the country and, really, the world. Everywhere I turned, people were generous with their tools, wisdom, stories, and time. There was no sense of competition or gatekeeping. People genuinely wanted to lift one another up and help each other succeed.
People welcomed me in, shared what they’ve learned, and reminded me that none of us are doing this work alone. For someone who has felt a little isolated in this work back home, that was incredibly meaningful.
But the biggest takeaway for me was something a bit more personal.
If I’m being really honest, I struggle with imposter syndrome more often than I’d like to admit. I still catch myself thinking, “I don’t belong here.” I’m not a researcher. I’m not formally trained as an evaluator.
Somewhere during those few days, though, something shifted.
As I listened to Indigenous evaluators share their work, I started realizing that we’re doing this work, too. We’re asking questions. We’re building relationships. We’re learning from our communities. We’re creating approaches that reflect who we are, where we come from, and what our communities need.
Maybe we don’t always call ourselves evaluators.
But we’re doing the work.
And not only are we doing the work, but we’re also doing it in meaningful ways. We’re contributing. We’re walking alongside some of the most respected Indigenous evaluators across Turtle Island, and we have something special to offer, too.
I left the gathering inspired by the incredible work happening across Indigenous communities, but I also left with something I didn’t expect: a greater sense of confidence in myself, our team, and the work we’re doing through CIRCLE.
Of all the gifts I received at the gathering, the one I’m most grateful for is a greater sense of confidence in myself and the work we’re doing.
If I had to choose one lesson I learned from this experience, it’s that we don’t have to wait until we feel like experts to contribute to meaningful work.
Sometimes when we’re new to a space, we sit back and think we don’t have anything to offer. I’m here to tell you that’s simply not true.
The hardest part is usually just showing up. Putting yourself out there, taking a healthy risk, speaking your truth, and allowing yourself to be uncomfortable. In my experience, that’s where some of life’s greatest gifts are waiting for us.
So, to everyone who helped organize this gathering and create a space for us to come together, Hiy Hiy (thank you). Thank you for the invitation. Thank you for the community. And thank you for helping me realize that maybe I belonged in this space all along.
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