MakeWay

“I dreamt up this world where the land, animals, and ancestors held me in this magical place away from all the hate. I saw an Indigenous q***r land, where all of us 2SLGBTQIAP+ gender diverse people are loved exactly as we are.”

Credit: "Q***r Earth" by Shawn Howe (Red Cedar Tree), Anishinaabe - Bear Clan

Today, as we welcome Indigenous History Month and Pride Month, we celebrate love, courage, joy, and community. We honour the diverse and vibrant identities, histories, and contributions of Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

The overlap of these important months reminds us that the work toward justice has always been interconnected. It is a time to come together, to lift one another up, and to continue working side by side toward a world where everyone is safe, supported, and free.

To see more of Shawn’s work, follow their Instagram , visit PACHA Indigenous Art Collection or stop by their booth at the upcoming 2-Spirit Powwow in Toronto.

✨ NEW funding opportunities for First Nations! ✨

We've updated our list of external grants and funding opportunities that support First Nations stewardship efforts and community-driven priorities in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii.

🔗 See the latest opportunities here:
https://ow.ly/BHiF50YYoVe

“I think everybody who has contributed to this vision has a deeper commitment to seeing Indigenous communities thriving in the North. EntrepreNorth exists because of many people's brilliance.” - Xina Cowan, Entreprenorth CEO.

After many years of working together, EntrepreNorth is starting an exciting new chapter: transitioning off MakeWay’s Shared Platform and becoming its own, autonomous organization! We join them in celebrating this next phase. We are grateful for our long partnership and are excited to discover new ways of collaboration.

EntrepreNorth’s story features a wide variety of innovators, mentors, knowledge holders, funders and allies who all share a passion for building sustainable economies across the North.

Learn more about the journey behind the project and hear directly from a few of the voices who helped make it the success it is today. https://makeway.org/in-the-news/entreprenorth-exists-because-of-many-peoples-brilliance-celebrating-entreprenorths-new-chapter-as-an-independent-organization/

We observe Red Dress Day each May 5, honouring the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse people. We hold our grief for loved ones taken through the MMIWG2S+ crisis. It’s a heavy day felt in communities and across Turtle Island and a call to action.

We know today can be very triggering. Please be gentle with yourself, step away from social media if needed, and if you can, spend time on the land or in safe, supportive spaces.

Today, take time to reflect and act. The National Inquiry’s Final Report outlines 231 Calls for Justice. Learn them. Share them. Stand in solidarity with families, communities, and those continuing the work to raise awareness and push for change.

**Support Services for Indigenous Peoples:**
• MMIWG2S+ Support Line: 1-844-413-6649 (English, French, Cree, Ojibwe, Inuktitut)
• Hope for Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310 or hopeforwellness.ca (English, French, Cree, Ojibwe, Inuktitut)
• Talk4Healing: 1-855-554-HEAL (4357) — available to Indigenous women in Ontario (14 languages)