Jesse Thistle

Jesse Thistle, a Métis Research Fellow at York University, specializes in Indigenous history, homelessness, and intergenerational trauma. His work bridges lived experience as a former homeless addict with academic research in criminology, social work, and addiction studies. He has collaborated on SSHRC and Canadian Institutes of Health Research projects, focusing on Métis road allowance communities and HIV prevention for Indigenous youth.

Key Contributions:

• Identified historical trauma links between 1885 Métis veterans and their descendants
• Developed elder re-education strategies for Indigenous health initiatives
• Advocates for lived experience integration in homelessness policy at the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness

Scientific Awards:

• 2016 Alumni Scholarship recipient