Understanding the critical role the leadership of Indigenous women has played in the survival of their communities is the focus of a free webinar Wednesday, May 12 at 11 a.m.

Robyn Bourgeois, Brock University’s Acting Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement, will lead the session as part of the Business Breathers series facilitated by Goodman Group, the Goodman School of Business’s community-focused learning and development services provider.

The talk, titled “Warrior Women – Indigenous Women and Leadership,” will help participants understand why leadership is so important to Indigenous women. Through the session, participants will also hear how Indigenous women’s approaches to leadership can offer invaluable lessons for non-Indigenous organizations.

“Indigenous women are powerful matriarchs entrusted with leading their communities,” Bourgeois said. “Historically, many of our societies were matriarchally and matrilineally ordered, although colonialism has attempted to destroy this.

“Yet, Indigenous women are fierce and have persisted in the face of this violence. Many of these matriarchs ground their leadership in Indigenous ways of knowing and doing, which makes them powerful in the face of colonialism,” she said.

One of Brock University’s strategic priorities is to foster a culture of inclusivity, accessibility, reconciliation and decolonization. This webinar will offer participants important decolonial information about Indigenous women and leadership.

Bourgeois is an Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at Brock, where her scholarly work focuses on Indigenous feminisms, violence against Indigenous women and girls, and Indigenous women’s political activism and leadership.

Everyone is welcome to attend Business Breathers webinars, which feature 30 minutes of expert-led discussions, followed by a 15-minute Q&A period. Topics focus on leadership, management and innovation as well as the financial and social impacts of trending topics. Interested participants are asked to register online. A confirmation email will provide a link to access the webinar at the date and time of the event.

Upcoming Business Breathers:

Diversity, Inclusion and Equity: What does it all mean for me?
Presentation by Leela MadhavaRau, Director, Human Rights and Equity, Brock University
Wednesday, May 26 at 11 a.m.