Manitoba Government Announces 2022 Empower Women Award Winners

October 21, 2022

Exceptional Community Leaders Who Have Advanced Gender Equality Recognized

The Manitoba government is recognizing two women who have made significant contributions in advancing gender equality and reconciliation with the 2022 Empower Women Award, Families Minister Rochelle Squires, minister responsible for the status of women, announced yesterday at a special event hosted at the Legislative Building.

“The contributions these women have made to Manitoba are outstanding. They are community leaders who are making an impact and creating immense positive changes in their communities,” said Squires. “I also want to commend all the nominees, which this year included artists and dancers, community organizers and activists, former and aspiring politicians, and aviation and STEM educators. I am confident Manitobans will benefit from their leadership as volunteers and activists, and the passion they bring to improving equality and contributing to reconciliation in our province.”

Two deserving Manitoba women, Brooklyn Rudolph-Nicholas and Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, were honoured with this year’s Empower Women Award, noted Squires. The award winners were selected based on the overall strength of their nomination and considered the level of community involvement, intersectionality of their efforts, addressing systemic issues, lasting change and the scale of response. Included this year was a focus on reconciliation and healing.

Brooklyn Rudolph-Nicholas, the youth Empower Women Award winner is an Ininew (Cree) woman and member of the Pimicikamak Cree Nation. Rudolph-Nicholas is 24 years old and grew up on Treaty 1 territory in the north end of Winnipeg. She is an advocate for Indigenous rights and cares deeply for Indigenous communities. Rudolph-Nicholas is a professional Indigenous artist and centres her art projects on ways to create positive change within the community. The majority of her Indigenous artwork is gifted to non-profit organizations such as shelters, mental-health organizations and women’s centres.

Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, the adult Empower Women Award recipient, is a member of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, and chair of the National Family and Survivors Circle in Canada. For 20 years, she has worked to prevent and end gender- and race-based violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Anderson-Pyrz was instrumental in establishing the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) liaison unit, where she was director for five years. Anderson-Pyrz served as president of the Families First Foundation and as co-chair of the Manitoba MMIWG Coalition. Her determination to centre the voices and expertise of families of MMIWG, survivors of gender-based violence and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people is guided by her own life experience as an impacted family member and the recognition that Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people are sacred.

In 2021, the Manitoba government awarded the first Empower Women Awards to recognize two Manitoba women who were working to advance gender equality and who had contributed to their communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

All the nominees made exceptional contributions to their communities at the local, provincial or national level and exemplify the immense leadership capabilities of dedicated and inspired women, said Squires. They challenged systemic inequalities, spoke out against injustice, changed lives at a personal level and served as role models for many other women and girls across the province. They demonstrate what is possible when we work collectively and show that we all have a role to play in the journey towards truth and reconciliation, the minister added.

For more information about the Empower Women Awards, including information about the winners and other nominees, visit: https://gov.mb.ca/msw/empower_awards.html.

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For more information:

• Public information, contact Manitoba Government Inquiry: 1-866-626-4862 or 204-945-3744.
• Media requests for general information, contact Communications and Engagement: newsroom@gov.mb.ca.
• Media requests for ministerial comment, contact Communications and Stakeholder Relations: 204-451-7109.

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