*4.2. Decolonizing Citizen Science for the FEEDS Project*

A series of steps were followed from the Bridge Framework for the FEEDS Project. First, all lead researchers have a strong history of working with Indigenous communities and applying a decolonizing lens to their research approaches. The lead researchers have facilitated consistent engagement between the researcher team and community to ensure that the whole team (researchers, decision-makers, Elders) work together in applying a Two-Eyed Seeing approach for addressing community health issues. This process has involved researchers actively learning from Indigenous community leaders. Many thought leaders in the space of decolonizing research methods [35,38,39] describe the importance of decolonization as a process that is not 'complete' at any given point but continues to evolve over time.

For instance, as the Principal Investigator of the FEEDS Project, my personal journey of decolonizing myself as a researcher has involved formal training workshops led by Indigenous scholars, conversations with Elders and community members, reading and learning about Indigenous histories in Canada, and unpacking my family's own complicated history with colonization as a second-generation immigrant with Indian ancestry—an ongoing process that started 10 years ago when I began collaborating with Indigenous partners [59,60].

Decolonization is an especially critical consideration for research related to climate change impacts on health and food systems, as issues of land and food sovereignty, as well as holistic wellness (i.e., the connectedness between environmental and human health, which includes social, physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing) [61]. As global conversations are taking place on climate change preparedness, colonial power dynamics are clearly on display. The lack of attention to decolonization may hinder our collective efforts to curb climate change while we can.

#### *4.3. Community Engagement and Capacity Building*

Understanding the distinct community of Île-à-la-Crosse started with building a relationship with several community members and leaders more than a year before the project was conceptualized. This community engagement was informed by the 4Rs and OCAP [53,55], where based on guidance from community leaders, community members were approached with respect and ceremony (i.e., gifting of tobacco). Common values and goals were discussed as part of building a relationship based on reciprocity, reconciliation,

and relevant project planning. The OCAP principles strongly informed conversations about data ownership and control, hence centring data privacy and sovereignty as part of the digital platform design. These conversations over the course of several months elucidated various priority areas for the community, including climate change impacts on food systems and mental health [62].

FEEDS was then established, and in order to facilitate focused discussions about these topics, a Citizen Scientist Advisory Council was created comprising Elders, Traditional Knowledge Keepers, key community decision-makers, youth, and FEEDS researchers [40]. The Council governs the FEEDS Project, and importantly, represents community members' interests to guide the governance of project development, implementation, and evaluation. All Council members are provided with CAD 150 as honoraria for each meeting to respect their time and guidance. The Council also leads the citizen recruitment strategy whereby citizen scientists can be actively engaged in the research process from data collection to knowledge translation [40].

The emphasis of these engagements is on listening to community needs and developing a long-term relationship that would not only ensure cultural safety, but also facilitate community capacity building. The Citizen Scientist Advisory Council is leading capacitybuilding efforts to ensure long-term project sustainability. One example of a distinct initiative that stemmed from the focus on sustainable project capacity is the development of a digital literacy program where youth learn research and data skills and teach adults and Elders in the community. Improvements to digital literacy were identified as critical for the success of not only the FEEDS Project but also for improving digital connectivity and independence in decision-making for community members.
