8 Spring/Summer 2026 COVER STORY W elcome to the 14th issue of She is Wise magazine. As we reach another season of warmth and revitalization, we look to ode’imin, the heart berry, to guide us with love, truth and reconciliation with one another. While I speak to Anishinaabe knowledge here as an Anishinaabe woman, we recognize that many of you come from different nations and carry other knowledges and traditions that align with this time of year. June is Indigenous People’s History Month, and on this summer solstice, we are listening to Indigenous women across the province who are currently making history by creating change for their families, communities and nations. This issue is focused on housing and homelessness – a topic that is very personal to many of us and affects Indigenous women disproportionately around the world. The stories shared across these pages bring light to many of the interrelated barriers Indigenous women face, and the incredible work being done by Indigenous women to address those barriers. As colonial structures continue to impose systemic barriers that affect Indigenous women’s safety, it is the work of those same women that is creating mean- ingful change for our families, communities and nations. ONWA is honoured to highlight the stories, experiences and diligent work of Indigenous women who are addressing housing and homelessness concerns in their commun- ities. We invite you to join us in recognizing these journeys, and the various ways that Indigenous women are leading with care, community and with intergenerational sustaina- bility in mind. From the winter roads of fly-in communities to new infrastructure in urban landscapes, Indigenous women continue to remind us that our voices carry strength, and that Indigenous women are the changemakers needed for generations to come. Melinda Commanda President, ONWA onwa.ca @ONWA7 @_ONWA_ @onwa_official THE STRENGTH OF OUR VOICES is published for Ontario Native Women's Association Return undeliverables to: P.O. Box 15-684 City Road, Fort William First Nation ON P7J 1K3 807-577-1492 www.onwa.ca Published by: www.mediaedgepublishing.com 33 South Station Street Toronto, ON M9N 2B2 Toll Free: 1-866-480-4717 robertt@mediaedge.ca NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF PUBLISHING Maurice P. LaBorde MANAGING EDITOR André Morriseau CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ingrid Green ASSISTANT CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Sarah McPherson SENIOR EDITOR Justyne Essery NATIONAL SALES EXECUTIVES April Hawkes, Ashley Huston, Pat Johnston, Veronica Johnston SENIOR DESIGN SPECIALIST Marisa Giesbrecht DESIGN SPECIALIST Bethany Giesbrecht PRESIDENT Kevin Brown SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Robert Thompson SALES / BRANCH MANAGER Nancie Privé Published June 2026 Publication Mail Agreement #40787580 All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the association. She is Wise is printed on 10% post-consumer FSC certified paper using soya based inks. When necessary to mail an issue in an enclosure, we use an environmentally-friendly, 100% oxo-degradable poly-wrap. Message from THE PRESIDENT
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