Unreserved honours the strength of Indigenous women

March 8 is International Women's Day and we are putting on our super capes to celebrate sheroes, Indigenous women who are making a difference in virtual reality, actual reality and fiction!

This week on Radio Indigenous: three conversations with three amazing women.

Cindy Blackstock is Gitxsan and is a child welfare advocate. About 10 years ago she noticed a disturbing pattern. The amount of money being spent on reserve child welfare was 22 and 34 per cent  lower than off reserve funding. In January a Human Rights Tribunal confirmed that Canada does discriminate against children living on reserve by failing to provide equal child welfare funding. Cindy Blackstock will  tell us why the hard work is just beginning. 

Gamer and designer, Elizabeth LaPensée details her drive to make video games a safe space for Indigenous women.The Anishinabe/Métis fought to have an online game called Custer's Revenge, that featured rape and violence of Indigenous women, taken offline. 

She'll share her vision for future games that include non-stereotypical Indigenous heroines.  

First time novelist Tracey Lindberg has landed on the Canada Reads short list. Birdie is a novel about a woman on a quest. She travels from her home in northern Alberta to Gibsons, B.C. The goal —to meet Pat John — who played Jesse on the long running CBC-TV series The Beachcombers.

Lindberg is from the Kelly Lake Cree Nation and you'll hear how she reflects the laughter, loss and lives of women in her book.

This week's playlist:

Leela Gilday - One Drum 
​Eekwol - I Will Not Be Conquered 
​Buffy Sainte-Marie - It's My Way