The members of CFUW (Canadian Federation of University Women) Orillia are fortunate to have the opportunity to hear Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux share her valuable insights at their meeting on Tuesday, November 23. She will speak on the topic: When History Hurts: The Missing Children and Unmarked Graves.
Dr. Wesley-Esquimaux has exemplary credentials and vast experience in her field. She served as Vice Provost for Indigenous Initiatives at Lakehead University for three years. In 2016 she was appointed as the 1st Indigenous Chair for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada for Lakehead University.
She was the inaugural Nexen Chair for Indigenous Leadership at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. The Nexen Chair leads research and reporting on critical success factors among Indigenous communities and organizations across Canada. She remains a faculty member in the Indigenous Learning Program.
She is also the Chair of the Teach for Canada non-profit which recruits teachers for remote First Nations Schools. She was inducted as an “Honourary Witness” by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and is the Chair of the Governing Circle for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba.
Dr. Wesley-Esquimaux is a member and resident of the Chippewa of Georgina Island First Nation and has dedicated her life to building bridges of understanding. She encourages people from diverse cultures, ages, and backgrounds to come together and engage in practical dialogue and research initiatives. She is very committed to public education and active youth engagement from all cultures and backgrounds. For more information on a youth project that she co-founded, please refer to the Canadian Roots Exchange Website at www.canadianroots.ca
CFUW Orillia offers amazing social connections, life-long learning opportunities, a
commitment to advocacy, new friendships, and is dedicated to promoting education.
Currently, we are gathering online until such time that we can meet in person again.
Membership is offered to all women who believe in our goals and value lifelong learning. For more information, please refer to the website: cfuworillia.org