WINNIPEG — Although 2016 may have been a terrible year for some, there is still a lot of good to come out of it, especially in our own backyard.
Local Indigenous leader, Michael Champagne decided to compile a list of positive accomplishments that happened in Winnipeg’s inner city last year.
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“I was looking around on social media… and hearing conversations people were having, and there were a lot of things about how 2016 was such a bad year,” Champagne said.
“Inevitably we also will be receiving police statics on crime and other things… and we are measuring negative things.The frustration for us in the community is there so many positive things that happen in the city that don’t get measured.”
Champagne then added up the accomplishments from 14 different grassroots movements in Winnipeg’s inner city.
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For example, Winnipeg’s Bear Clan patrolled the city’s streets 260 times last year. The grassroots initiative has grown into an organization that boasts close to 400 members, and has opened chapters in five different provinces.
There were also more than 60 Drag the Red water and land searches, a volunteer group dedicated to finding missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Detailed list
- 60 Drag the Red water and land searches
- 53 Meet Me at the Bell Tower gatherings
- 260 Bear Clan patrols
- 48 Mama Bear Clan patrols
- 24 Got Bannock lunches served
- 15 marches by The Village Walk
- 34 Fearless meetings
- 13 13 Fires Winnipeg events
- 3 Editions of Red Rising Magazine
- 33 brain storms from AYO Politix
- 47 Episodes of Inner City Voices on CKUW 95.9fm
- 64 Food Not Bombs community meals served
- 13 Youth Pipe Ceremonies on the streets of the North End
- 10,000 safe rides offered by Ikwe Safe Ride