Awareness into Action Series: Gender-Based Violence Against Indigenous Women
September 23 (Violence Against Women) – October 1 (Violence Against Indigenous Women) – October 4 (Sisters in Spirit Vigil)
You are invited to join us in our first Awareness Into Action series.
We will start by learning about what constitutes violence against women, systemic forces that make some women more at risk of experiencing violence, and the ways we can address violence and offer help to women who are experiencing it (Violence Against Women, September 23).
We will continue by learning about the origins of Indigenous women’s marginalization in our society and the specific vulnerability to violence they experience, that has led to staggering rates of violence against them; as well as about the Calls to Justice from the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (Violence Against Indigenous Women, October 1). With facilitator Marilyn North Peigan.
Finally, we invite you to join us and other women from the community at the Sisters in Spirit Vigil, on Friday, October 4. Come to the Centre for sign-making at 10am; or join us at 11am to walk to the Vigil together (Vigil starts at 11:30am).
Join us for any one, two or all three to move from Awareness into Action!
Stand with Indigenous women and girls on October 4
Workshop facilitator (Violence Against Indigenous Women, October 1): Marilyn North Peigan
She works as a Resolution Health Support Worker with Native Counselling Services of Alberta (Calgary Region.) In that role, she provides emotional health and wellness support to former Residential School students and their families. She is a descendent of Residential School survivors herself. In her own words: “I had the challenging task of drawing out both my grandparents’ experience through the Residential School system, a task that still resonates with me today. I refer to myself as survivor because I lived through the dysfunction passed through the generations to mine; and it has become a necessity for me to aid my community in moving toward healing. […] It is a pleasure and a great honor to finally be able to use everything I have in order to function as a healing worker for my own people.”
Marilyn is a Canadian Forces Veteran and the recipient of the Queen Diamond Jubilee II Medal for her service to the community. She is also a Commissioner on the Calgary Police Commission, the body that provides independent civilian oversight and governance of the Calgary Police Service.
