SA国际影视传媒淥ur theme is the strength and power of women and girls.SA国际影视传媒� That was the thrust behind the city's first TEDxYellowknifeWomen event, said organizer Maureen Van Overliw.

While there have been previous TEDx events in Yellowknife, this was the first one to feature all-female speakers.

Every year TED hosts a womenSA国际影视传媒檚 conference and alongside that, communities like Yellowknife can apply to host their own version.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd so youSA国际影视传媒檝e got a small window that sort of piggybacks onto their time frame,SA国际影视传媒� said Van Overliw. The talks, which took place at the Chateau Nova, were professionally filmed and later aired on the TEDx platform.

Van Overliw said she was surprised by the interest this event generated from the community.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think at 11 oSA国际影视传媒檆lock at night ISA国际影视传媒檇 put up a Facebook post saying ISA国际影视传媒檓 thinking about doing this, is anyone interested in either speaking or attending, I was just kind of curious to see what the interest was like,SA国际影视传媒� she said. The next morning when she woke up, that post had garnered hundreds of likes and comments and over a thousand views.

SA国际影视传媒淓ven before I applied for a license, that was definitely a good indicator that there was some interest,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

After applying for a license from TEDx she put out a call on Facebook asking potential speakers to submit an outline and bio by a certain deadline. All twelve speakers submitted that outline, with topics like women in politics, education, mental health and the justice system.

SA国际影视传媒淔rom a global community perspective, as well as from a community within Yellowknife perspective, there are so many opportunities to showcase the talent, strength and voices of women,SA国际影视传媒� said Van Overliw. SA国际影视传媒淚f we donSA国际影视传媒檛 take initiative to do that we may miss those opportunities and they may not be as visible.SA国际影视传媒�

It's important to give women this kind of platform so that others can look to them as role models and leaders she said.

SA国际影视传媒淲hereas otherwise, they might not have had the chance to see them,SA国际影视传媒� said Van Overliw. The majority of the speakers have never had this type of opportunity before.

SA国际影视传媒�(For) some itSA国际影视传媒檚 their very first time for a televised talk and so it gives them an opportunity to really share their position and their interests with the global community as well,SA国际影视传媒� said Van Overliw.

SA国际影视传媒淔rom a mentoring perspective, it provides opportunities for others to look up and to see someone on stage that might not be represented anywhere else. And then to see that person up on stage they can identify and connect with them in ways that maybe theySA国际影视传媒檝e never connected before,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

City councillor Stacie Smith was one of the speakers and gave a talk on perseverance and resilience, sharing her story from growing up on Con Mine property to becoming a business owner and politician.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 about all the struggles that I had to overcome being Indigenous, being female, being overweight, being teased and tormented, being called ugly as a kid,SA国际影视传媒� said Smith. SA国际影视传媒淎nd taking all of those situations and putting them toward something that was good.SA国际影视传媒�

After being elected to council in October, Smith said she wanted to take this opportunity to share those struggles and show people where she's coming from.

SA国际影视传媒淏eing a business owner myself and now going into politics, women arenSA国际影视传媒檛 really expected to be in politics, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 very few of us,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淏eing women in business itSA国际影视传媒檚 a struggle, because itSA国际影视传媒檚 definitely a manSA国际影视传媒檚 world and in 2018, it's still that persona. And we have to jump that line and give other women and other girls the momentum and the strength to be able to see that others have done it, I can do it too.SA国际影视传媒�

Amanda St. Denis spoke about raising a transgender child in Yellowknife in a talk titled Unconditionally Trans-parent.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was basically just talking about my journey as a parent supporting my daughter,SA国际影视传媒� said St. Denis.

SA国际影视传媒淚 really want to normalize talking about gender diversity with the event, to hopefully make the world a little bit safer for her and other transgender children.SA国际影视传媒�

The decision to speak at the event wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 one she made easily. But after thinking it over, St. Denis said she felt the need to seize this opportunity to speak about an important issue.

SA国际影视传媒淲ith my daughter being trans and me doing this talk, ISA国际影视传媒檓 outing her a little bit, by doing that,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚n my reflection to whether I was going to do this or not, I definitely checked in with her. SheSA国际影视传媒檚 very excited, disappointed that she couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 come, sheSA国际影视传媒檚 only six, so not for her ears.SA国际影视传媒�

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 important to tell her story because when it comes to trans issues, a lot of stigma and misunderstanding remains St. Denis said.

SA国际影视传媒淭ransgender people are still every day fighting for their existence,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淪o if thereSA国际影视传媒檚 something I can do, like this, that just makes some small difference and makes the fight a little less hard, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 why ISA国际影视传媒檓 here today.SA国际影视传媒�