b'STRAWBERRY MOON INVITING CURIOSITYHow Sheila North learned to blossom where she stands and speak truth to powerBy Matthew BradfordE ntrepreneur, leader, story-teller: these are just a few of the roles Sheila North has embraced throughout her diverse career. Whether guiding communities as Grand Chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) or spot-lighting critical issues as a CBC journalist, North has consistently translated her talentsto define her career, she pursued themover-represented by negative stories in into service for others. all. Her first job at a hospital quicklythe media.Born in Bunibonibee Cree Nation inruled out a future in medicine. It justFor six years, North used her role at CBC northern Manitoba, Norths future pathwasnt for me, she admits. Her nextto flip the narrative, bringing attention wasnt immediately clear. With her parentsventureopening and running a giftto Indigenous communities and their guidance, she completed grade schoolshopwas a better fit, but balancing busi- resilience. Her work earned accolades at home before attending high schoolness ownership with full-time parentingfrom the Radio Television Digital News off-reserve, only to discover she was twoproved unsustainable. Undeterred,Association (RTDNA), as well as a grades behind. That was devastating forNorth enrolled in the Academy ofGemini Award nomination in 2010 for me because Id always been a really goodBroadcastings radio and televisionHomeless Hero, a series documenting student back home, she recalls. So, thingsprogram, which led to a three-year role asthe efforts of Faron Hall, an Indigenous just went downhill from there. a Cree and English announcer for Nativeman who saved two drowning teenagers Communications Inc. in Winnipeg. Whilein Winnipegs Red River in 2009. After North left school to focus on motherhood,working there, she pursued journalismleaving CBC, North continued her and after fleeing an abusive relationship,studies through Red River Collegesmission at CTV Winnipeg.she sat down with her children to considerCreative Communications program.her next chapter. There were three thingsIn 2012, North had a new lead to follow. I wanted to do when I was a kid: to becomeDuring her time at Red River, NorthShe took a job as communications a journalist, an entrepreneur like myinterned at CBC and CTV Winnipeg,specialist with the Assembly of Manitoba parents and a doctor, because I wanted tojoining CBC full-time in 2006. It was hereChiefs (AMC), supporting then-Grand help people and take care of people. that she found a platform to spotlightChief Derek Nepinak in advocacy around Indigenous issues. I wanted to dothe Idle No More movement and the All three paths still intrigued her; and so,more for our communityespeciallyongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered in the spirit of a curiosity that would comebecause I felt at the time that it was beingIndigenous Women and Girls. It was 28 Fall/Winter 2025'