And the Indigenous Newsmaker of the Year goes to...
- Cecilia Baptiste | June 30, 2015
A topic near and dear to many people's hearts was awarded Indigenous Newsmaker of the Year at a recent Saskatoon Aboriginal Professionals Association (SAPA) event.
SAPA hosted its ‘Celebrating Success – Indigenous Newsmakers’ event on June 19th at the Bessborough Hotel. This event showcased top stories that our Indigenous media experts have covered in the past year and culminated in the acknowledgement of the panelists’ top story. The vision was to highlight positive stories of individuals or organizations that covered Indigenous people, promote role models, including possible ‘hidden heroes’. The SAPA team hosted this celebration in recognition of Aboriginal History Month and in honor of the Summer Solstice. An event of this type focuses on the good within our community, and provides a venue for the non-Indigenous community to witness the many encouraging things happening in Saskatoon.
What we found interesting at the event is that while we wanted to focus on positive stories, in reality there are many hardships and difficult issues that are inherent in who we are and what we face. While the media panel did a great job identifying inspiring people, the discussion continued to circle around the MMIW movement, the call for an inquiry, and the TRC work. In the end, the media chose MMIW and the advocacy of Iskwewuk E-Wichiwitochik.
This was a tremendous moment, as it acknowledges that within the context of difficulty and hardship, we are a resilient people who will not be quiet and will continue to be the voice for those that cannot speak for themselves. While the reason behind the MMIW movement is not positive or exciting, the work that people such as this group does is important and critical in order to push for understanding in the wider Canadian society.
SAPA also took this opportunity to unveil our visual identity. Creative Fire was instrumental in guiding this discussion, providing the in-kind contribution to capture our vision into a strong professional identity. The Interprovincial Association on Native Employment has been our strategic partner; this partnership enabled us to provide Saskatoon with premium quality programs that are focused and relevant for the Indigenous community.
This is the fifth business function that SAPA has hosted since January 2014, with an average of 100 attendees. Recently, SAPA also hosted four Breakfast Bites, which gave the audience opportunities to delve deeper into work related topics. Interest is buzzing about SAPA and its continued impact in Saskatoon. Organizations have approached SAPA to fill board and work opportunities, and more and more we are seen as a great place for organizations to create Aboriginal partnerships.
This year we are pleased to work with the Friendship Centre and have access to a program coordinator. This will strengthen SAPA as we move to incorporation and plan for the years ahead. The SAPA team is a passionate group. We believe in the importance of our work, and will continue to provide Saskatoon with networking and career building opportunities. Yet we are dependent on the business community to fulfil our objectives. If you have ideas, feedback, or are interested in partnering with SAPA, please contact us at yxeapa@gmail.com.