On April 10, the Aboriginal business and not-for-profit communities will gather to honour six women and youth at the first-ever edition of the Minaake Awards. (Minaake is an Ojibwe word for “people who are walking a good path.”) Among others, the ceremony will honour Aboriginal litigator Katherine Hensel. Hensel was featured in Precedent‘s Winter 2012 issue and will be given the award for Advocacy and Human Rights.
Hensel, who overcame a tough childhood, has become a prominent and respected lawyer in the First Nations community not only for taking on important legal challenges such as the fight at Attawapiskat, but also for opening her own law firm, Hensel Barristers LLP two years ago. She’s one of the few Toronto lawyers who serves the First Nations community and focuses on litigation.
The awards, created by the Native Women’s Resource Centre, are meant to honour those whose achievements are not always recognized in Toronto’s Aboriginal community. Other awards will be handed out in the categories of Leadership, Culture Keepers, Youth, Two-Spirited/LGBT and Walking the Good Path.
The ceremony will be held at the TD Bank Tower on 66 Wellington St. in Toronto, starting at 6:00 p.m. Tickets to attend the event can be purchased here, with the proceeds going towards the resource centre.
Photography by Derek Shapton
Shot on location at Native Child and Family Services of Toronto