The Institute for International Women’s Rights’ (IIWR) bi-annual fundraiser, “All Our Relations: Finding the Path Forward,” will be held online on Thursday at 6:30 pm, benefitting three local charities.
This year’s 11th Local to Global event will be held virtually through a Zoom webinar, with all proceedings going to the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, Artbeat Studio and the University of Winnipeg Global College.
“We did start planning in January because we were going to have the event on April 14, but because of COVID-19, we had to postpone it. It took us a while to figure out how we were going to do that,” said Local to Global’s organizing committee chair Sahla Mitchell on Monday.
“So this year, we are doing a ‘pay what you can’ model, which seems to be working very well. We did want it to be accessible for anyone who wanted to participate. So far, we have done better than we thought we would, considering it is online and during the pandemic when people do not have a lot of excess funds. We are very grateful for everyone who has participated and bought a ticket.”
The event has raised approximately $100,000 for several causes to date. Every year, the IIWG will look at different organizations that require additional funding. Funds will be distributed three-ways to the organizations on October 1.
Normally, a ticket would cost $35, but this year interested donors can pay however much they can and still be able to enjoy the event.
The IIWR has also invited award-winning journalist and best-selling author Tanya Talaga as their keynote speaker this year to talk about reconciliation.
“As a board, we wanted to focus on bringing awareness around Indigenous issues affecting Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls as well as the broader reconciliation. Tanya has been thinking about this for a very long time, and we knew she would attract a good audience in Winnipeg,” said Mitchell.
Talaga is the author of “Seven Fallen Feathers,” the winner of the RBC Taylor Prize and the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing. She also wrote the national bestseller “All Our Relations: Finding the Path Forward,” a compilation of her CBC Massey lectures, which touched on about the impacts of colonization in Canada and the world.
She will also be joined by emcee Sheila North and Indigenous musician Dawn Chartrand during the Zoom webinar.
People can sign up at buy a ticket via Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/local-to-global-webinar-with-tanya-talaga-tickets-117469168445. Once a donation is made, donors will be given a Zoom link where they can access the upcoming fundraiser.
Nicole Wong is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
Nicole Wong, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun
