The She is Wise conference represents ONWA’s commitment to creating safe spaces that foster capacity building and leadership development for front-line staff who are working in organizations that serve Indigenous women, girls and communities.
During the conference, front-line workers have an opportunity to learn from carefully selected speakers and workshops that highlight expertise and knowledge in trauma-informed and culture-based practices on a range of topics tailored to build capacity and provide practical tools and skills that can be shared with communities and colleagues.
If you are not a front-line service worker, ONWA provides numerous alternative training opportunities for Indigenous women. If you would like more information on training for your group or community, please visit www.onwa.ca, or contact us at onwa@onwa.ca.
Nibwaakaa Inaadiziwin translates to “she is wise in ways of life.” This conference captures the voices and perspectives of Indigenous women and seeks to change the narrative of violence through collective cultural and gendered empowerment. It acknowledges the wisdom and intelligence of women, as well as our life-giving power.
The conference provides opportunity for participants to learn from Indigenous women and youth leaders, Elders, and Knowledge Carriers and to celebrate the strength of our communities through keynote addresses, panels and interactive workshops. Each year the conference has a theme, and many of the activities centre on building capacity related to that theme.
During the conference, participants can connect with other front-line staff providing services to Indigenous communities to share their own expertise, wise practices and to build partnerships.
Previous participants have described the She is Wise conference as a unique event that brings together Indigenous women and celebrates the power of community.
The ticket includes:
· Breakfast, lunch and snacks throughout the three days of the conference.
· Opportunities to build professional networks and share wise practices with other Indigenous leaders and professionals.
· Access to speakers, panels and workshops, and all activity supplies.
· Giveaways throughout the conference, including materials and resources to take home.
Registration costs go to funding the conference, including paying for meals, speakers fees, honouraria and gifts for Elders and Knowledge Carriers, as well as the conference package which includes all workshop activity supplies and giveaways.
Typically, there are no leftover funds after the conference, and ONWA does not profit from it. However, if there are remaining funds, these go directly to fund sponsorships for community members, youth and member organizations to attend future conferences, as well as to fund programming that advances ONWA’s priorities to end gender-based violence. For more information about ONWA’s 9 key issue areas and programming, please visit www.onwa.ca.
Every year, ONWA invites submissions from community members, youth and staff from ONWA member organizations to attend the conference at no cost. Sponsorships include a ticket to the conference, travel, accommodations and meals. Announcement of sponsorship opportunities and relevant forms are posted on our social media.
Vendor callouts for adult and youth artisans are posted on our social media. We review submitted applications and those that are selected will be contacted. Vendors are selected to ensure a variety of different craft styles and options. If you have not been contacted, then you were not selected as a vendor.
For the 2026 conference, vendor applications have closed, and we have selected and confirmed all vendors. Should a cancellation occur or we open additional spots, we keep a waitlist of all submitted applications.
This year, the She Is Wise conference will be offered as an in-person experience only. We look forward to creating a fully interactive, hands-on experience for relationship building and community connection at this year’s conference.
Due to the number of attendees and various hotel options in Ottawa, we have not set up a hotel block or code for delegates. Please see our upcoming Ottawa guide for suggested options that are close to the conference venue.
No, tickets will not be available for purchase on the day of the event. All ticket sales will be done in advance and through the conference portal. For questions about payments, please contact events@ingaged.ca
Presenters are invited by the conference organizers based on their expertise in trauma-based and cultural practices and connection to the conference theme and learning objectives. To suggest a potential speaker or workshop, please email sheiswiseconference@onwa.ca but note that we cannot accommodate all suggestions.