International Women's Day

KEYNOTE SPEAKER "Our society does a really good job at making us and trauma, making you believe that you're alone in it. It wasn't until the inquiry that I thought, oh my god, there are all of these families who have almost identical stories to mine - I'm not alone in what I'm going through, and this is not okay. On the journey, I met a woman out east who has an almost identical story except didn't have a brother, who later in life killed himself due to the trauma. I met a Six Nations woman with an identical story whose brother also committed suicide after witnessing her parent's double murder-suicide." She says she struggled with imposter syndrome at first. Upon hearing the countless similar experiences and drawing strength from the pride her father instilled in her, she realized that she is living proof of a shared pain. She decided then to do whatever she could to continue the conversation and push for change. She also learned that healing is a layered process that continues whenever she shares her story. "I told an elder once [that] I feel terrible every time I speak. Because I'm noticing, I'm feeling like something is being resolved in me, that I'm receiving healing. And he said, 'No, don't feel sorry. You're leaving something behind.' That was big for me, and had I never said that out loud, I wouldn't have gotten that piece of healing." Though Farinacci continues to feel the ripple effects of living through unfathomable violence and loss, she acknowledges the role that community has played in her healing journey, especially the 'army of women' she has around her. She hopes her contribution to the WWC will help create new relationships, foster connections, and provide support. "I wouldn't be the person I am - probably wouldn't be sitting here - if it wasn't for those people. That support shapes you. When I think about going through all of this, I always see my kids at the center of it and the people they, too, have standing around them. The hope is building a community like that - it trickles into your life on such a deep level that it becomes a piece of you." Farinacci started an online fundraiser for two Indigenous charities to celebrate her 38th birthday, a birthday neither of her parents nor brothers lived to see. It surpassed the initial $3,800 goal, eventually reaching over $106,000 with an additional $16,000 donated to one of the charities through community fundraising events in the Niagara Region. In 2022 she started the first annual Celebrate Indigenous Resilience Red Dress May 5th walk bringing awareness to the ongoing genocide of Indigenous women across Turtle Island. This work has propelled Farinacci into social media notoriety. "Growing the platform came accidentally. It was the Celebrate Indigenous Resilience fundraiser that I started back in 2021 that catapulted it, and for that, I'm forever grateful because it allowed me to get to more people. I hope people come on and learn something, but I also hope people feel comfortable messaging me or commenting. And then when I get those messages or comments, I can learn from [them] too. It's built a community of love and support that beats any odd negative comment, so it's been wonderful in that sense." Farinacci is grateful for the opportunities that the amplification of her voice through social media has afforded her. Not only does it allow her to reach a larger audience with her advocacy, but it has created the ability for her to earn an income while allowing for the flexibility she needs as a mother of three and full-time advocate. She also deeply appreciates the people who have learned about Indigenous issues through her accounts or have reached out to say they've been inspired to reconnect to their own heritage. She offers this advice: "It's a journey, and it's going to take time. Find your home. And if you have difficulty finding your home, find someone you can trust who can walk that journey with you. Don't rush through it because you will do harm to others, and you'll do harm to yourself because you'll miss out on parts. Just like anything with colonization, paperwork is not where you're going to find the stories. You're going to find the stories with community. So find your community and take your time with it." Find Farinacci online on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Pinterest @FallonFarinacci and FallonFarinacci.com. CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 13 CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY! MIKE MOROZ MLA for River Heights 204-774-3669 DAVID PANKRATZ MLA for Waverley 204-804-2875 BILLIE CROSS MLA for Seine River 431-323-6026 RON KOSTYSHYN MLA for Dauphin 204-638-1672

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