Leslie Spillett

Leslie was born in Northern Manitoba in 1951 and raised in Wekusko (Sweetgrass) by a family with deep roots in the land.  Her material ancestry is Cree from Cumberland House and Red River Metis and her paternal ancestry is Irish and Scottish. 

Leslie attended boarding school in Saskatchewan and completed high school in Calgary. She obtained a Diploma in Journalism and Administration from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in 1972 and worked as a journalist and photographer prior to moving to Winnipeg in 1977.  She also attended the University of Winnipeg for two years working toward a Political Science degree. 

Leslie has held various positions related to administration including her present position as the Executive Director of Ka Ni Kanichihk which she, along with other community women, founded in 2001. She was also one of the principle founders and leaders of Mother of Red Nations Women’s Council of Manitoba and held an executive position on the Native Women Association of Canada Board of Directors between 2003 – 2007.

It was during her tenure that NWAC began its Sisters in Spirit campaign to raise awareness and action regarding the Missing and Murdered Aboriginal women in Canada. She participated in Amnesty International research and subsequent report, Stolen Sisters in 2003 – 2004. It was also during this time that activities to raise awareness of Missing and Murdered Women began in Manitoba. Leslie also raised this issues related to Missing and Murdered Women at a UN World Conference Against Racism in 2001 and at a UNESCO conference in 2003. 

As the Executive Director of Anishnaabe Oway Ishi, she founded the Aboriginal Youth Achievement Awards.   She also founded the successful Keeping the Fires Burning, an annual event that recognized the importance of traditional knowledge and restoring the status of indigenous women.

Leslie has been an activist and advocate for many people on a wide range of issues, including child welfare, justice, education, health, environment, employment and women’s rights.

Arlene Kolb (She/Her)

My name is Arlene Last-Kolb.
On July 18th 2014 our son Jessie died from a fentanyl overdose poisoning.
I am on the board of Moms Stop The Harm and I help facilitate national action across Canada, and co-founder of Overdose Awareness Manitoba.
Moms Stop The Harm is a National group across Canada.
We have over 3000 members.
We offer support, education and we advocate.
We advocate for a Harm Reduction.
And every day we fight for a safer supply of all substances.

One of the ways we bring attention to our cause is through visual art. Today we are launching our Purple Poppy art display. The poppies represent our loved ones Gone Too Soon.

We are writing messages on the poppies to our loved ones and then they will be placed on a white board in the shape of a river.

The river is an ever-ending flow of loved ones gone from a toxic street supply. They are floating to Ottawa to demand our government's do more. My hope is that this memory art project will be done national, and all of our boards with our messages, will be put together in one long line. And if all goes well, they will go to Ottawa next October for the Harm Reduction Conference.

In Manitoba someone dies every day.
We have to be loud and we have to show everyone that this can happen to you.
These poppies, show what we live with every day.
Our messages show our pain.
And our undying love for those gone from preventable deaths.

Candace Neumann

Candace is a Metis woman, a sundancer, daughter, niece, sister, aunty, and wife. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Candace returned home in 2013, after living in Toronto for 15 years. For the past 13 years she has worked in the Indigenous communities of both Winnipeg and Toronto, as a literacy and lifeskills teacher, counsellor, youth worker, and advocate. Candace has had the opportunity to sit in ceremony with Elders and teachers from Manitoba and Ontario and was taught the Cedar Bath Ceremony by a beautiful, Anishnaabe Elder in 2014 and she has been providing cedar baths ever since.

Melanie Brass

Tansi, Boozhoo Indinawwemagnidoog Aniin Keewatino Binese Ikwe

Hello my relatives my name is Northern Thunderbird Woman and my English name is Melanie Brass. I am an Oji-Cree status member of Tootinoawaziibeeng Treaty Reserve and grew up in The Pas, Manitoba. I moved to Winnipeg in 2014 and was gifted with my spirit name and the beautiful teaching of the Cedar Bath Ceremonies from Elder Josie Wood back in 2017, worked along side with some of my amazing Cedar Bath sisters for guidance and have been providing cedar baths since.

Angie Hutchinson

Tansi, my name is Angie Hutchinson I am a First Nations woman with roots to Misipawistik Cree Nation in Treaty 5 Territory and I have the honour to work and live within the Treaty 1, 3, 5 Territories and the homeland of the Metis Nation.

I have a strong commitment to living mino pimatisiwin (the good life) and endeavor to walk with humility while engaging in open dialogue. I am active in Indigenous ceremonial practices and have been honoured to carry a pipe and a cedar bath bundle. I also have been blessed with the opportunity to listen and learn to many teachings as a Sundancer and know I will remain connected to Sundance for the rest of my life.

Knowing that we all walk this earth with a purpose, we each must seek out the knowledge and helpers to allow us to fulfill our purpose; I know my purpose is to work for the people. Working as a helper in many different roles, I approach my work from a heart centred space, making efforts to provide a culturally responsive and trauma informed approach.

Sarah DeLaronde

Sarah DeLaronde is an independent mother to two beautiful children, Shayne and Ohi. She comes from many different bloodlines including Ininiw, Salteaux and Métis; she was born in Treaty 5 Territory and is a member of Pimicikamak. Sarah was raised in ceremony, in a household steeped in traditions, surrounded by matriarchs. She is a young knowledge keeper, sundancer, pipe carrier, and loves the opportunity to share with younger generations. She carries and relies on her traditional knowledge in all things, including her work and academia.

Jocelyn Bevacqua, RN/NP (she/her)

Jocelyn Bevacqua is a Nurse Practitioner with over 15 years of experience working in the community. Her passion and professional focus has always been on mental health and addictions. Jocelyn is currently employed through Nine Circles’ “Meeting the Moment Project.” She specializes in HIV management with a focus in bringing primary care services directly to vulnerable populations. This includes individuals who are homeless or unstably housed, people who use drugs and other folk who do not/cannot access health care through transitional means.

Leanora Braun, RN/BN

Leanora is a registered nurse specializing in hepatology with a focus on Hepatitis C at Mount Carmel Clinic. Her experience in nursing includes Acute Medicine, Women’s Health, Emergency nursing, Infection Control and Primary Care with a career spanning almost 15 years. Leanora works from a harm reduction and trauma informed care lens with a focus on indigenizing the care provided to members of the community.