Brescia's 4th annual Dr. Hanycz Leadership Lecture Series featured keynote address by Olympian, activist and broadcaster, Waneek Horn-Miller.
About Waneek Horn-Miller
At the age of fourteen Waneek Horn-Miller was stabbed in the chest by a Canadian soldier—she
was protesting a condo development on traditional Mohawk lands. While a photo of the
event launched her into the public eye as a symbol of Indigenous struggle, Horn-Miller
battled the very real trauma and PTSD that followed. On stage, she traces the path
from the pain depicted in that picture to the strength depicted in her iconic TIME
cover, an image of incredible power, poise and dignity as the first Canadian Mohawk
woman to compete in the Olympic games.
Throughout her life, Waneek Horn-Miller has always stood up for what was right—as a mother, an activist, an athlete, and an entrepreneur. This has entailed hard choices, pain, and sacrifice. But this commitment has also made her one of Canada’s most inspiring figures. Previously, she assumed the role of Director of Community Engagement for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. By connecting the commission to victims’ families, as well as the public, she provided a recognizable and trusted face to an incredibly important initiative: one that seeks justice, raises awareness of violence against Indigenous women, and furthers the dual tasks of healing and reconciliation.
