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February 20, 2025
Water Justice is Menstruation Justice: A Conversation with Co-Resistors
On Thursday, February 20th at 1:00pm, we welcome you to join the Centre for Human Rights Research and Moon Time Connections (MTC) for an event exploring the interconnections of water justice and menstruation justice. The event takes place in Room 108 St. John’s College at the University of Manitoba.
We are honored to open the event with a Water & Tobacco Ceremony with Knowledge Keepers Ramona Milliea and Bill Milliea. If you have a copper cup, please bring it for the ceremony.
The free event will feature a presentation from Veronica Brown (MTC), followed by a panel discussion. Panelists include Emma Cowman (University of Manitoba), Alicia Horton (Douglas College), and Janessa Roy (MTC). The event will be moderated by Chrstine Cyr (University of Manitoba) and Dr. Lisa Smith (Douglas College), with graphic recording by Roxanne Balan. We are grateful to Chief Lady Bird, whose artwork is featured on our poster.
Light refreshments will be provided. In order to ensure we have enough space, we request registration.
For information on getting to the University of Manitoba, see: https://umanitoba.ca/about-um/our-campuses/getting-here
About the Speakers
Ramona Milliea has two traditional names, Miskoginewawaashiik and Waabishki Mikinak Iskwew. She is third degree Midewiwin and is from the Migizi (Bald Eagle) Clan. Ramona is Anishinaabe, Cree, and Nakoda from the Peguis First Nation within Treaty 1 territory. She has spent most of her career working in roles that protect and uphold the Treaty and Aboriginal Rights of Indigenous peoples, particularly in the development and implementation of policies and programs related to natural resource management and to wholistic healing. Ramona is dedicated to learning and working with traditional medicines, attending ceremonies, and travelling to and dancing at powwows.
Bill Milliea is first degree Midewiwin and is from the Giwnig (Otter) Clan. He is Mi’kmaq from Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick. Bill has spent over 30 years working with Correctional Services Canada in various capacities – an Elder’s Helper, Indigenous Liaison Officer, Indigenous Correctional Program Facilitator, 5 years as Kikeway Wig Director – a Section 84 Healing House, and now as an Elder. Kikeway Wig was a healing house where up to six (6) Indigenous offenders would stay as they reintegrated into society after prison. Bill is dedicated to learning and working with traditional medicines, attending ceremonies, and he is an avid hiker.
Roxanne Balan is a Anishinaabe from Shoal Lake No. 40 First Nation. She is a long time advocate and is a consultant who specializes in project management, community engagement and graphic illustration. Her goal is to help communities flourish through her various methods of facilitation.
Veronica Brown is the Ontario Chapter Lead and Education Director for Moon Time Connections, an Indigenous-led, Indigenous-focused period equity organization in Canada that works alongside northern Indigenous Communities to gain access to free menstrual products and Moon Time Education from a cultural perspective. Veronica is a settler on Treaty 13. She is an Indigenous Knowledge Professor at Centennial College, and a co-resister in many forms. She not only advocates for Indigenous rights, but also advocates for the truth to be shared about colonization and the impacts it has had on Indigenous Nations.
Emma Cowman (she/they) is a Research Assistant with the Just Waters project at the Centre for Human Rights Research, where she is exploring the intersections of menstrual justice and water justice through an in-depth literature review and critical analysis.
Currently pursuing a Master of Social Work at the University of Manitoba, Emma holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies from the University of Regina. Their research interests span reproductive justice, 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, and gender-based violence. Emma’s thesis focuses on the abortion experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals in Manitoba, addressing gaps in inclusive reproductive healthcare.
Emma is also involved in several other research projects, including the Abortion in Manitoba project, various gender-based violence research projects with RESOLVE, and the UBC Youth Sexual & Reproductive Justice project. Beyond academia, she serves on the National Youth Advisory Board for Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, where she advocates for equitable and inclusive sexual health policies.
Christine Cyr is a proud Red River Métis woman. She grew up in the north end of Winnipeg in a large family. She is an alumnus of the UM (1999) and is now a graduate student in the Master of Education program. As the Associate Vice-President (Indigenous) responsible for students, community, and cultural integration, Christine is actively involved in strategic planning, cultural education, and advocating for the disruption of anti-Indigenous racism. She has worked in leadership roles at the University of Manitoba for 24 years first in Indigenous Student Recruitment and then as Director of the Indigenous Student Centre. During her time at UM, Christine co-founded the Indigenous Circle of Empowerment (ICE) leadership program, she designed and created the post-secondary club program, and she established the Métis inclusion portfolio – all of which have grown and expanded to be successfully established programs. She also brought Full Moon ceremonies to the Fort Garry campus to create space for celebrating and empowering women, and most recently she led the university community in building a new Sweatlodge on campus.
Christine has received the Future Leaders of Manitoba Award as well as the Service Award from the University of Manitoba for her outstanding work in the field of Indigenous education and for her commitment to the community. In 2023, Christine was recognized for a lifetime commitment to Indigenous education at the Honouring Our Indigenous Campus Community celebration. Christine is a traditional woman who attends, participates in, and leads ceremonies. She lives in Winnipeg surrounded by her husband, four children, seven grandchildren, and a loving circle of family and friends.
Alicia Horton, PhD, is a faculty member of the Department of Criminology, at Douglas College in British Columbia, Canada. Her primary academic research areas include prison culture, prison violence, prison education, social control and bodies as a resource. She is particularly interested in people’s lived experiences with prisoning, criminalization, and resistance. She loves social constructionist theories, masculinities theories and qualitative methods. Dr. Horton is an Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program certified instructor. Her most recent co-authored book Connecting Criminology and Criminal Justice: People, Places and Processes presents integrated criminology/criminal justice content from a sociological perspective.
Janessa Roy is the Manitoba Chapter Lead and Education Coordinator for Moon Time Connections. Janessa holds both settler & Mi’kmaq roots and resides on Treaty 1 Territory. She is a cultural dancer and dedicated holistic health advocate. Having stepped back from classroom teaching, she’s now focusing on her advocacy work with Moon Time Connections while expanding her dance and fitness initiatives. She’s very committed to sharing the transformative power of dance, fitness & Moon Time with others.
Dr. Lisa Smith is a member of the Department of Sociology and Coordinator of the Menstrual Cycle Research Group at Douglas College. Her research interests include: the social and political aspects of menstruation, gender-based violence and post-secondary campuses, and intersectional feminism and technology. She is particularly interested in research approaches that are community engaged, creative and informed by an applied sociology lens. Lisa is a devoted and passionate educator and scholar, who remains actively engaged within her community and many of her projects involve collaborations with grassroots community groups, as well as government and not-for-profit organizations engaged in advocacy. Her work has appeared in a variety of peer-reviewed publications, including journals and edited collections. In addition to publishing in academic venues, Lisa works on an ongoing basis to support knowledge dissemination and public engagement through open-access outputs (e.g. publicly accessible reports, podcasts, zines), as well as collaborative events, workshops and outreach. She is an active member of the menstrual equity activist community in Canada and internationally and serves on a number of community action groups and societies related to menstruation. In her downtime, Lisa loves a good long walk in the forest or strumming away on the ukulele.
