Modern Métis Woman is a Canadian registered charity founded in 2017 by Dr. Carleigh Milburn. The organization is dedicated to empowering Métis, First Nations, and Inuit women through education, arts, mentorship, and community engagement.
Through scholarships, artist grants, exhibitions, educational programming, and leadership initiatives, Modern Métis Woman creates opportunities for Indigenous women to pursue their educational and professional goals while celebrating Indigenous knowledge, creativity, and culture.
Since its founding, the organization has supported students, artists, and community leaders across Canada by investing in education, fostering cultural pride, and creating spaces where Indigenous women can connect, learn, and thrive. Modern Métis Woman is committed to supporting the next generation of Indigenous leaders, educators, artists, scholars, and changemakers.
Dr. Carleigh Candice Mignonne Milburn is a Métis artist, curator, educator, researcher, and community advocate. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Modern Métis Woman and serves as Region 6 Council Secretary for the Métis Nation of Ontario.
Dr. Milburn completed her PhD in Cultural Studies at Queen's University, where her research explored decolonization through artificial intelligence, digital art, and Indigenous research-creation methodologies. She also holds a Master of Arts in Global Development, a Bachelor of Education specializing in Indigenous Education, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Global Development from Queen's University.
An experienced educator, Dr. Milburn teaches within the Faculty of Education at Queen's University, where she has instructed courses in Indigenous education, Indigenous arts, curriculum studies, and teacher education. In September 2026, she will begin her appointment as the Rebanks Postdoctoral Fellow in Art and Culture at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto, Ontario.
As a practising visual artist and curator, Dr. Milburn's work explores Indigenous identity, decolonization, memory, reconciliation, community, and the relationship between technology and Indigenous knowledge systems. Her work has been exhibited throughout Ontario in galleries, artist-run centres, public spaces, and museums.
Recent exhibitions include Making Sense of Decolonization, Mashkawizii Miinikaanan (Strong Seeds), Where the Dream of Our Ancestors Awaken, and In Conversation With. Her artwork was also featured on the cover of the Journal of Critical Race Inquiry.
Dr. Milburn has received numerous awards and distinctions for her academic, artistic, and community contributions, including the Métis Nation of Ontario Women Honouring Women Award, the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, the Robert Sutherland Fellowship, and the Dean's Award for Social Justice.
Throughout her career, Dr. Milburn has remained committed to advancing Indigenous arts, education, and cultural resurgence while creating opportunities for future generations of Indigenous women. Through her research, teaching, artistic practice, and community leadership, she continues to advocate for meaningful change and the celebration of Indigenous voices across Canada.