The Status of Women Council of the NWT will soon host the Deh ChoSA国际影视传媒檚 first Amazing Northern Women Awards.
The award gala is set to occur in Fort Simpson on Friday, Mar. 8, which is recognized as International WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Day.
SA国际影视传媒淲e are here for all women and those who identify as women,SA国际影视传媒� said Anna Pontikis McLeod, the Deh Cho board member for the Status of Women Council. SA国际影视传媒淓very womanSA国际影视传媒檚 contribution is so important to the world and to their community.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e just hoping to honour women in our beautiful region, and let them know that theySA国际影视传媒檙e important and that people are grateful for their efforts.SA国际影视传媒�
Nominations for the event closed on Feb. 26. The nomination form included a section that asked, SA国际影视传媒淲hat has your nominee done to improve the lives of women in her community, to improve the lives of others in her community, and/or to advance equality for women and girls?SA国际影视传媒�
By the time the nomination process concluded, Pontikis McLeod said more than a dozen people from communities across the Deh Cho had been nominated.
SA国际影视传媒淚 wanted to keep the [nomination] process simple,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 know a lot of these things are very cumbersome, and a lot of people donSA国际影视传媒檛 nominate their family and friends because itSA国际影视传媒檚 too hard to, so I want to make it super easy.SA国际影视传媒�
Nominees featured people of all ages, including several Elders, and one mother-daughter duo. There will also be one posthumous award recipient. Women in public office, such as chiefs, council members and mayors, were not eligible, as organizers didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want the awards to become SA国际影视传媒減olitical.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淲e wanted to make sure our Elders and a whole bunch of young women in high school were also nominated,SA国际影视传媒� said Pontikis McLeod. SA国际影视传媒淎ll the nominations come from all walks of life.SA国际影视传媒�
Those who received nominations will be contacted directly and invited to the gala, and their family and friends are welcome to attend. The event will also be open to the public.
The special occasion will take place at Fort SimpsonSA国际影视传媒檚 rec centre, amid the excitement of the villageSA国际影视传媒檚 Beavertail Jamboree. It will feature catering and Dene interpreters.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 just nice to dress up and be fancy, just be pampered for one day and be celebrated,SA国际影视传媒� said Pontikis McLeod.
The Status of Women Council is behind several similar events around the NWT, including the defunct Wise Women Awards in Yellowknife.
SA国际影视传媒淭hose women get honoured and flown to Yellowknife,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey had this beautiful gala, but here, youSA国际影视传媒檙e going to be with your friends, your family, your community, and getting an honour from your community rings a little differently.SA国际影视传媒�
Pontikis McLeod was appointed to the council in August 2022. She is originally from Saskatoon, and moved to Fort Simpson in 2021 to join her husband,
She is a longtime volunteer, and joined council, in part, to get better acquainted with her new home community.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 a guest here, but I feel like ISA国际影视传媒檓 more part of the community now,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 get personal satisfaction from helping and learning and setting up a framework for future generations and other people to work in similar roles.SA国际影视传媒�
SheSA国际影视传媒檚 hoping the Deh ChoSA国际影视传媒檚 first Amazing Northern Women Awards will be a hit.
SA国际影视传媒淟etSA国际影视传媒檚 get together and celebrate each other and show our daughters and our nieces and our moms and all these different generations that itSA国际影视传媒檚 important to take the time to celebrate each other and work together,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
