Reanna Merasty

Reanna Merasty was born in 1995 in Kisipakakamak, Brochet, Manitoba{{Cite web |last=University of Manitoba |date=March 11, 2020 |title=Campus leaders honoured at fourth annual Indigenous Awards of Excellence |url=https://news.umanitoba.ca/campus-leaders-honoured-at-fourth-annual-indigenous-awards-of-excellence/ |access-date=2023-07-20 |language=en}} and is a member of Barren Lands First Nation in Manitoba. She attended the University of Manitoba, earning a Bachelor of Environmental Design in 2019 and a Master of Architecture degree in 2021.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-10 |title=Reanna Merasty – Indspire |url=https://indspire.ca/laureate/reanna-merasty/,%20https://indspire.ca/laureate/reanna-merasty/ |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=indspire.ca |language=en-US}}

In 2019, during her undergraduate, Reanna co-founded the Indigenous Design & Planning Students Association (IDPSA), the first Indigenous student-led organization in the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Manitoba,{{Cite web |title=IDPSA 2021–2022 {{!}} Faculty of Architecture {{!}} University of Manitoba |url=https://umanitoba.ca/architecture/idpsa-2021-2022 |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=umanitoba.ca}} and the first of its kind in Canada. The IDPSA advocates for the inclusion and representation of Indigenous design principals, initiatives, and programs in design education and fosters relationships with Indigenous communities. During the final year of her graduate degree (2021) Merasty Co-Edited Voices of the Land: Indigenous Design and Planning from the Prairies.

Merasty is the Chair of the Welcoming Winnipeg Committee of Community Members with the City of Winnipeg. The Welcoming Winnipeg Committee is one aspect of the City of Winnipeg's reconciliation processes.{{Cite web |title=Committee of community members – Indigenous Relations Division – City of Winnipeg |url=https://legacy.winnipeg.ca/indigenous/welcomingwinnipeg/committee-members.stm |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=legacy.winnipeg.ca |language=en-ca}}{{Cite web |last=Alwahaidi |first=Keena |date=Jun 15, 2023 |title=Meet some of the 2023 Indspire Awards recipients making a difference in their communities |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/indspire-awards-recipients-2023-profiles-1.6874960 |website=CBC Radio}}

Merasty also sits on the Climate Action Plan Steering Committee and Indigenous Task Force with the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada,{{Cite web |last=Canada |first=Royal Architectural Institute of |date=2014-08-22 |title=Committees |url=https://raic.org/committees |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=Royal Architectural Institute of Canada |language=en}} is a Board Member for the design advocacy organization Storefront Manitoba, a charitable organization focused on the critical discussion, exploration, and celebration of Manitoba's design culture,{{Cite news |date=2012-10-19 |title=Local architects power Winnipeg's reinvigorated design |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/local-architects-power-winnipegs-reinvigorated-design/article4624188/ |access-date=2023-07-20}} and a Board Member for the Indigenous music organization Sakihiwe Festival.

She and another Indigenous architect, Darian McKinney, were tasked with restoring a donated former department store in 2023.{{Cite news |last=Onishi |first=Norimitsu |date=2023-05-28 |title=To Natives, was building empty gift? |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-santa-fe-new-mexican-to-natives-was/172397195/ |access-date=2025-05-15 |work=The Santa Fe New Mexican |pages=A8}}

As of 2024, Merasty works as an architectural intern at Number TEN Architectural Group in Winnipeg.{{cite news |url=https://www.thesitemagazine.com/read/in-conversation-with-voices-of-the-land |title=In Conversation with Voices of the Land |publisher=The Site Magazine |date=12 May 2024 |first=Amina |last=Lalor |access-date=12 June 2024}}

• Co-Editor of "Voices of the Land: Indigenous Design and Planning from the Prairies" published in 2021.{{Cite web |last=Lam |first=Elsa |date=2021-06-01 |title=Book Review: Voices of the Land—Indigenous Design and Planning from the Prairies |url=https://www.canadianarchitect.com/book-review-voices-of-the-land-indigenous-design-and-planning-from-the-prairies/ |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=Canadian Architect |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Wong |first=Nicole |date=Feb 22, 2021 |title=Trying to inspire Indigenous youth by Design |work=Winnipeg Sun |url=https://winnipegsun.com/news/news-news/trying-to-inspire-indigenous-youth-by-design?r |access-date=Jul 20, 2023}}

• In 2020, Merasty was a recipient of the Manitoba Future 40 under 40 award.{{Cite web |title=#CBCMBFuture40 |url=https://xd.wayin.com/display/container/dc/c65f8cb3-ff97-4010-9d2f-6e0355528148/content1 |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=CBC Comm Mktg & Brand |language=en-CA}}

• Upon graduating with her Master's of Architecture she was awarded the Alpha Rho Chi Medal{{which|date=January 2025}} for leadership and promise of professional merit in Architecture in 2021.{{Cite web |title=University Medals and Prizes |url=https://issuu.com/umanitoba/docs/fall_2021_virtual_convocation_program/s/13698003 |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=issuu |language=en}}

• In 2023, Merasty was one of three Youth Recipients of the Inspire Awards for her work and advocacy for Indigenous inclusion and representation in design education, and was one of six individuals chosen for the National Youth Panel at the N.S. Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers Conference.{{Cite web |title=Reanna Merasty – Cando |url=https://www.edo.ca/conference/2023/national-youth-panel/reanna-merasty |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=www.edo.ca}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merasty, Reanna}}

Category:Living people

Category:1995 births

Category:First Nations activists

Category:Canadian people of Cree descent

Category:People from Northern Region, Manitoba

Category:University of Manitoba alumni

Category:21st-century First Nations writers

Category:First Nations architects

Category:21st-century Canadian non-fiction writers

Category:21st-century Canadian women writers

Category:Canadian architecture writers

Category:Canadian women non-fiction writers