AGENDA
Thursday September 15, 2022 – 12:00 PM ET to 5:00 PM ET
Opening Ceremonies
Join Emcee Sunshine Tenasco, Kitigan Zibi Annishnebeg entrepreneur, author and activist, as she kicks off the inaugural SOAR Digital Gathering of Indigenous Entrepreneurs presented by Square.
Bernice Clarke, Inuk Founder of Uasau Soap, opens the SOAR gathering with a qulliq (seal-oil, blubber or soapstone lamp, ᖁᓪᓕᖅ) burning ceremony.
Bree Island, also known as Auntie Bree, is a nehiyaw iskwew / Cree woman from Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Treaty 8 territory. Auntie Bree is a visual artist and owner of Mixed Creatives, a GFX VFX studio. And she is here today to share the story and meaning of the SOAR logo she co-created with the SOAR team.
SacRED is a modern-day digital shape-shifter, storyteller through movement and medicine woman of the heart, on a mission to support all people and the planet to recognize truths of the past and present while returning to a natural rhythm of well-being for the future generations. SacRED performs a spoken word and song that speaks to the rising of Indigenous leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators.
Opening Keynote
As a Calgary-based Cree-Métis woman committed to inclusivity and championing LGBTQ+ and Indigenous tech and business, Bobbie Racette is an unstoppable force as the Founder and CEO of Virtual Gurus. Bobbie shares her entrepreneurial journey, lessons learned, and vision for the future for Indigenous entrepreneurs.
Opening Circle: Breaking through the Struggle
Indigenous entrepreneurs discuss healing intergenerational trauma, reconnecting with ceremony, culture and community, reclaiming traditional ways of trade that reframe money as medicine, and how Indigenous people can support one another to soar.
Make and Meaning Mini-Workshop: How to Write Poetry
Join award-winning poet and photographer and the author #IndianLove: Poems and Nedí Nezu from English River First Nation, Tenille K Campbell, as she teaches a mini-lesson on how to write poetry. Write a poem with Tenille and post it online, tagging @soarcircles @sweetmoonphoto #SOARIndigenous for your chance to win a copy of #IndianLove: Poem.
Our Way Circle: Money as Medicine presented by Futurpreneur
In many Indigenous communities and cultures, we learn never to take more than we need. This value of taking only what we need means we often consider accumulating money and wealth to be greedy and wrong. In this circle, Indigenous entrepreneurs reframe money as medicine for families, communities and reclamation. Learn how to use money as medicine to benefit your community, the land and our collective wellbeing.
Our Way Circle: Decolonizing Entrepreneurship presented by LIFT Collective
Building a business aligned with Indigenous values is an ongoing process of addressing power imbalances, and knowledge hierarchies require self-reflection. In this circle, learn what ‘decolonizing entrepreneurship’ is and what you can do to embed the process of decolonization into how you start and grow your business.
Make and Meaning Mini-Workshop: How to Powwow Dance
Join educator, speaker, powwow dance teacher and regalia maker Deanne Hupfield as she teaches a mini-dance lesson. Get up, get moving and record and post your moves tagging @soarcircles @deannehupfield #SOARIndigenous for your chance to win a free place in Deanne's Saturday powwow dance class online.
Story Circles: Inuit Entrepreneur Stories
Join Leena Evic, President of the Piruvik Centre and Bernice Clark, Founder and CEO of Uasau Soaps Inc., as they share their entrepreneurial journey and how they use entrepreneurship to honour, celebrate and promote Inuit culture and strengthen their communities.
Story Circles: On the Rez Entrepreneur Stories
Join Mallory Yawnghew, Founder and CEO of Indigenous Box, Brandi Woodhouse, Founder and CEO of RezGal Lashes, and Jacques Watso, Founder & CEO of Sagamité Watso, as they share their entrepreneurial journey starting up 'on the Rez' and navigating the challenges and opportunities to grow.
Make and Meaning Mini-Workshop: How to Paint a Feather
Join Patrick Hunter, a two-spirit artist, graphic designer and entrepreneur from Red Lake, as he teaches a mini-lesson on how to create a feather. Follow along to create your own and share it with @soarcircles, and tag #SOARIndigenous for your chance to win an original Patrick Hunter art piece.
SOAR Circle: Food Entrepreneurs
Join leading Indigenous entrepreneurs in the food sector ranging from 'on the rez' catering, maple syrup production and operating a café as they share their entrepreneurial journeys, reflections and lessons in building a food-based business.
SOAR Circle: Consumer Goods Entrepreneurs
Join leading Indigenous entrepreneurs in the consumer products sector, ranging from cosmetics, bath and body, apparel to pets, as they share their entrepreneurial journeys, reflections and lessons in building a consumer product-based businesses.
SOAR Circle: Services Entrepreneurs
Join leading Indigenous entrepreneurs in the services sector ranging from strategic advisory services and digital marketing to hair and beauty, as they share their entrepreneurial journeys, reflections and lessons in building a service-based business.
SOAR Circle: Creative Entrepreneurs
Join leading Indigenous creative entrepreneurs in the media, film, animation, graphic design, fashion, digital media and performing arts industries as they share their entrepreneurial journeys, reflections and lessons in building a business in the creative industry.
SOAR Circle: Tech Entrepreneurs
Join leading Indigenous entrepreneurs in the digital tech sector building interesting solutions including an Indigenous music and video streaming platform, an online Indigenous expert booking service, and an equitable and unbiased AI solution. Meet the entrepreneur behind these emerging technologies and businesses as they share their entrepreneurial journeys, reflections and lessons in building a tech-enabled business.
Closing Keynote: Patrick Hunter
Patrick Hunter is a two-spirit artist, graphic designer and entrepreneur from Red Lake whose goal is to make people feel good and bring more Indigenous artwork into public places. Through his business, Patrick creates commissioned pieces and large murals and teaches virtual painting classes to support Indigenous artists in expressing their culture through public art. In this closing keynote, Patrick shares his entrepreneurial journey, lessons learned, and vision for the future for Indigenous entrepreneurs.