A Maple Ridge woman has been nominated for a 2020 YWCA Women of Distinction Award.
Jeska Slater, is an indigenous social innovation coordinator, at Skookum Lab, in Surrey. Skookum is part of the Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee.
The YWCA Women of Distinction Awards honours individuals and organizations whose outstanding activities and achievements contribute to the well-being and future of the community and have been given out for 37 years.
| Jeska Slater |
Slater was nominated for the Reconciliation in Action award, which will be given to two women, an Indigenous leader and ally, “who have made a significant and sustained difference across Metro Vancouver by supporting healing and building more just and equitable communities for all people,” said a release.
Slater is the founder and project manager of TransformNations, whose goal is to provide opportunities for youth to gain leadership skills and be compensated well for meaningful community work.
Read more: Two Maple Ridge women of distinction nominated for award
TransformNations workshops focus on decolonization, cultural competency, anti-oppression training and Indigenous art and culture. Slater is an educator, visual and traditional beadwork artist and educates on the effects of colonization and intergenerational trauma.
Award recipients will have engaged communities to strengthen relationships and are commited to the reconciliation movement that tries to heal the harm caused by treatment of First Nations in Canada.
The awards are given out May 11 at a dinner in Vancouver.
pmelnychuk@mapleridgenews.com
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