News
Aboriginal businesswomen celebrated
Event draws crowd well over expectations
Fort McMurray Today
April 2010
By HOLLY MIYASAKI
Today staff
Organizers were hoping for 100 at an inaugural event, but were bowled over by more than doubling that.
The Northeastern Alberta Aboriginal Business Association was pleasantly surprised to see hundreds of faces at its Aboriginal Women in Business dinner held Thursday night at the Sawridge Inn.
"I would have been happy with 100, but we have 256 - it's a sold-out event," NAABA president Nicole Bourque-Bouchier said. "I was not expecting that."
The Aboriginal Women in Business event, which was open to both men and women, offered an opportunity for those in the business community to mix and mingle and get excited about individual growth.
"I think an event like this, our first ever, is just another stepping stone for our organization for what we can offer our members and just how the organization is going in new directions and just growing every year," Bourque-Bouchier said.
NAABA has just over 100 members who are local aboriginal entrepreneurs and 100 associate members from the oilsands, industry and contractors. Its goal is to support local aboriginal businesses and offer networking events, seminars and workshops and assists businesses with different needs they may have.
Not only was the dinner a chance for attendees to network, but also to hear inspirational speakers Joy Romero and Tina Keeper discuss their lives and where they get their inspiration.
"I think my main message is really about believing in yourself and believing in each other and really providing support within our own community to build capacity," Keeper said.
Keeper, who is well-known for her role in the Canadian television show North of 60, has been very busy with a number of business ventures.
Not only does she run a non-profit theatre company, but she also does research and policy analysis work for First Nations' and women's organizations.
For Keeper, inspiration came from role models like Buffy Sainte-Marie and Anzac's own Tantoo Cardinal, who starred in such movies as Dances With Wolves.
"There's a couple pivotal moments that I look to in my own life - one of them would be really looking at my role models and believing that if they can do it, I can do it too," she said.
Also, staying humble is an important aspect of Keeper's career. Her North of 60 co-star Tom Jackson told her "there's always someone around the corner," and she always remembers it's easy to be replaced.
Romero, vice-president of bitumen production for Horizon Oilsands with Canadian Natural Resources, hoped she could encourage her listeners by telling her life story.
"I think it's understanding what your passion is and realizing that whatever it is that you want to do in your life, that ever day you need to get up and go do that," she said.
For more information about the NAABA, visit www.naaba.ca.