Undermined Representation and Knowledge in Engagement: Engagement often becomes a tokenistic, check-box exercise, with input solicited late in project design rather than through authentic relationship building. Participants described low civic engagement, misrepresentation of voices, and limited acknowledgment of cultural differences, leaving historically marginalized communities excluded from planning. Community knowledge and lived experience are frequently devalued compared to academic or professional credentials, creating barriers to community-driven decision-making. Indigenous peoples emphasized the erasure of present-day existence when they are framed in the past tense, which diminishes recognition of their ongoing presence, practices, and rights.