Abstract
The experiences, wellness, and resilience of Indigenous people are grounded in their profound history and cultural practices. Social workers must embrace culturally sensitive practices to provide meaningful social work practices. This banded dissertation encompasses 3 scholarly products that explore integrating Indigenous knowledge in social work education and practice to enhance outcomes for Indigenous people. The first Product is a conceptual framework that provides an Indigenous cultural lens to integrate Tribal Critical Race Theory (TribalCrit), Indigenous Ways of Knowing, Indigenous Knowledge, and Indigenous Environmental Practices in social work services for Indigenous people. The second Product is a qualitative research study that utilized an Indigenous Research Paradigm, TribalCrit, and a narrative analysis to explore the lived experiences of social workers, emphasizing the best social work practices for Indigenous people. The findings indicate that culturally sensitive practices and Indigenous voices in social work are essential, and Indigenous-focused content in education is beneficial in preparing future social work practitioners. The third Product is a peer-reviewed workshop presented at the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) 42nd Annual Protecting Our Children Conference, held in April of 2024 in Seattle, Washington. This banded dissertation aims to honor and amplify Indigenous voices, knowledge, and ways of knowing in social work practice and education.