Senator Lillian Dyck along with honouree Darlene Okemaysin-Sicotte and her husband Chris Sicotte at the Strength of Our Women Awards Gala.
Hundreds of people gathered in Saskatoon last night to honour a select few Indigenous women for their outstanding accomplishments.
The second annual Strength of our Women awards honoured over twenty different women in categories like culture, art and business.
Among those in attendance for the event was Saskatchewan Senator Lillian Dyck, who says the event is an excellent way to honour Indigenous women and their contributions.
“I think it is very important to highlight and honour the women who have done amazing things in their communities,” said the first First Nations woman to be appointed to Canada’s senate.
Dyck also says an event like the Strength of Our Women Awards Gala can have a great impact for the future.
“As we build each year we are going to know more and more women doing really good things in their communities,” she said. “We are going to build that knowledge of the women who are out there.”
The recipient of this year’s leadership and advocacy award went to Darlene Okemaysin-Sicotte, the founder of the organization Women Walking Together. The organization is a grassroots network of activists providing support for families of murdered and missing Indigenous women.
She says she was honoured to be among so many amazing Indigenous women.
“Sometimes in life you get a narrow viewpoint of your life and activism and you don’t get to see all your peers in the province,” said Okemaysin-Sicotte. “This is the part of the night I really enjoy.”
The honourees from Thursday night’s gala are as follows:
Desiray Robillard – Youth – Fond du Lac
Delia Opekokew – Lifetime Achievement – Canoe Lake
Tasha Hubbard – Arts and Entertanment – Peepeekisis
Mary Doris Greyeyes – Business – Little Black Bear
Nancy Linklater – Culture and Spirituality – Whitecap
Belinda Daniels – Education – Sturgeon Lake
Barb Lavalee – Environment – Cowessess
Dr. Bonita Beatty – Health and Wellness – Peter Ballantyne
Beverly Poitras – Law and Justice – Muscowpetung
Brigette Lacquette – Sports – Cote
Myrna Laplante – Leadership and Advocacy – Day Star
Darlene Okemaysin-Sicotte – Beardy’s and Okemasis
Along with these several other women were honoured in the Matriarch category for their contributions to their families and communities.
The event was put on by the Saskatchewan First Nations Womens Commission and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.
Proceeds from the awards gala will be dedicated to initiatives that support families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.