.png)
INDIGENOUS WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT
Join us for an event celebrating the resilience of Indigenous women!
Date: March 12, 2023
Time: 8:30AM to 4:00PM
Location: Saskatoon Inn & Conference Centre, Ballroom B & C
Ticket Price: $300 (plus GST)
Hear from these empowering women:
Kendra Weenie - Award Winning Author & Speaker
Brandi Morin - Award Winning Multimedia Journalist
Maria Linklater - Knowledge Keeper, Advocate for Children in Care
Terri-Anne Strongarm - Award Winning Recording Artist
Aly Bear - Lawyer, Third Vice Chief of FSIN
Cheyenna Sapp - Comedian & Actress
View full details below
KENDRA WEENIE - SPEAKER/HOST
Kendra Weenie is an award winning author, keynote speaker, and workshop facilitator from Sweetgrass First Nation. She is a CBC Future 40 Award recipient and has been featured locally and provincially on International Women's Day. Kendra came from humble beginnings, but through sport and culture she was able to further her confidence, work ethic and sense of identity. Kendra continues to share her story through keynotes and workshops in hopes of encouraging others to heal and promotes self-care and healing through her workshops geared towards trauma survivors.
She has co-founded two non-profits. Crystal’s Gift is based out of Saskatoon, SK and is a program designed to assist single mothers in need of gently used furniture items. IndigiFund is a non-profit aimed at empowering Indigenous youth in the areas of sport, education, and culture. In 2020, Kendra created a bursary opportunity for single mothers in high school or university. Kendra was instrumental in the rise of Neechie Gear to global success. Although she has her own challenges as a single mother, she believes that true success comes from our ability to help others in need. Her goal is to help you move forward in a healthy way.
BRANDI MORIN - KEYNOTE
Brandi Morin is an award-winning Cree/Iroquois/French multimedia journalist from Treaty 6 territory in Alberta. For the last 10 years Brandi has specialized in bringing Indigenous stories to the forefront.
She is known for her clear-eyed and empathetic reporting on Indigenous oppression in North America. She is also a survivor of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls crisis and uses her experience to tell the stories of those who did not survive the rampant violence.
Her most notable work has appeared in publications and on networks including National Geographic, Al Jazeera English, the Guardian, NBC THINK, CNN, VICE, ELLE Canada, the Toronto Star, the New York Times, Canadaland, Huffpost, Indian Country Today Media Network, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network National News, and CBC Indigenous.
Brandi won a Human Rights Reporting award from the Canadian Association of Journalists in April of 2019 for her work with the CBC’s Beyond 94 project tracking the progress of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
In July 2022 Brandi won first place in the Print/Online Best Feature Story for her story with Al Jazeera English titled ‘Canada’s crying shame: The fields full of children’s bones’ via the National Native American Journalism Awards as well as Best Column for her work with the Toronto Star.
In competition against media heavyweights The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN International and numerous others, Brandi’s series with Al Jazeera English Online won a top prize in the Feature Reporting category of the annual Edward Murrow 2022 awards named after the CBS News maverick and pioneer of 60 Minutes-styled documentaries.
Her feature won for its six-part series about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Brandi’s debut memoir Our Voice of Fire: A Memoir of a Warrior Rising, became a national bestseller within days of its August 2, 2022 release.
MARIA LINKLATER - SPEAKER/ELDER
Maria Linklater is a residential school survivor and has been a lifelong advocate for children in care. She continues to fight for Indigenous children and families. Maria Linklater first started caring for children when she herself was still a child. Decades later, after raising her own children and more than 350 foster kids, the Nehiyaw (Cree) woman continues to stand up for future generations. Maria is known in Saskatoon and beyond as a fighter for children in care and for Indigenous families. She was born at Thunderchild First Nation in Saskatchewan and was raised there by her grandmother.
She was one of eight sisters in the family. She said helping each other was a big part of their early childhoods. Maria is well-known as a cultural leader, mentor and knowledge keeper.
ALY BEAR - SPEAKER
Aly Bear is the third Vice-Chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), a proud mother to her two daughters, and is a descendant of Dakota, Anishinaabe heritage from the Whitecap Dakota First Nation. The FSIN represents and advocates for 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan and is committed to honoring the spirit, intent, promotion, protection, and implementation of Treaty and Inherent Rights.
Vice-Chief Aly was called to the Saskatchewan Bar in 2021 and primary focus as a lawyer has been, and continues to be, revitalizing and implementing traditional Indigenous laws and finding expression for these laws in modern-day Indigenous governance structures. Aly developed and applied her legal skills while working for two of Canada's most prolific law firms, Gowling WLG Law Firm's Vancouver office, and with McKercher LLP in Saskatoon.
Vice-Chief Aly dedicated herself to advance her education attending the University of Saskatchewan, earning a Bachelor Degree majoring in Sociology and minoring in Indigenous Studies (with distinction). She obtained her Juris Doctorate from the U of S, College of Law, in 2020. In addition to her studies, she played a central role as a leader and advocate for Indigenous peoples at the U of S and served as the Vice-President of Indigenous Relations for two consecutive years.
CHEYENNA SAPP - SPEAKER
Cheyenna Sapp is a Nehiyaw Iskwew from Little Pine First Nation in Treaty 6 territory. Also known as Rose Sinclair from the CTV sitcom Acting Good, Cheyenna has been performing standup comedy since 2019. She is currently a full-time student at the University of Saskatchewan, where she will finish in the spring with a 4-year B.A. in Indigenous Studies and a wîcêhtowin Indigenous Theatre Certificate. When she isn't in school or making people laugh, she's out on adventures with her children and pets.
TERRI-ANNE STRONGARM - ENTERTAINMENT
Powerful, captivating and unique are words to describe the voice of Terri-Anne Strongarm. Singing since the age of 4 years old along side Lawrence Strongarm (her father) of the Highway Express Band. Award winning and recording artist Terri-Anne Strongarm also performed at major event thought-out the prairie provinces and into the United States.
She has opened for acts such as; Charlie Major, The Road Hammers, Doug Kershaw, Kaplan Potter, Crystal Shawanada, and Patty Loveless. Performing on the main stage at Cravens Country Jamboree (Country Thunder), to singing at the Northern American Indigenous Games in 2014. Terri-Anne is not only a live performer, but also a social media hit with over a million total views.
Terri-Anne will be leaving to Henderson, Nevada, where she was invited down to record at The Hide Out Recording Studio, where many celebrities record including: Alicia Keys, Blake Shelton, Celine Dion and more!
Her incredible vocal range and stage presence will leave you breathless.
