The 2020 Atlohsa Peace Awards

Congratulations 2020 Honourees!

On December 10, 2020, we celebrated those who have made outstanding contributions, propelling social change in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation. Through media, arts, education and advocacy these trailblazers truly exemplify leadership in an era of rapid growth and change.

All proceeds go to Atlohsa's Zhaawanong 24-hour emergency women's shelter providing Indigenous-led crisis support for women and their children at risk of violence, abuse, and homelessness.

Zhaawanong 24-hour emergency women’s shelter provides Indigenous-led crisis support for women and their children at risk of violence, abuse and homelessness. The shelter has been supporting community since 1992 and is considered an essential service offered through Atlohsa Family Healing Services. Zhaawanong means “South” in the Ojibwe language, signifying warmth, change, nurturing and renewal. With these intentions in mind, the shelter provides a safe and supportive healing environment, cultural interventions and crisis counseling, including transitional planning and supports.

What your donations support:

FEATURED ARTIST

“GRATEFUL FOR GUIDANCE” BY SEAN COUCHIE

The seven ravens guide her, just as the seven sacred grandfather teachings guide us if we are still long enough to listen. Sean goes back to his love of using gold; it is also a nod to See Me, his first show, now permanently installed at Atlohsa Family Healing Services in honour of MMIWG.

Sean Michael Couchie is a self-taught artist who has had an interest in art since early childhood and later formalized his craft with a degree in Advertising Art from Fanshawe College in 1991. Sean is a member of the Nipissing Band of Ojibways. He considers winning the Peace Hills Trust Native Arts Contests in 1992, 1996 and again in 2002 as major contributors to his success as a First Nations artist. In 2007, the Bravo and APTN networks aired a documentary entitled “From the Spirit” featuring the life and works of Sean Couchie. In 2015, Sean was a key contributor in a collective effort to raise awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). It was then that the See Me art exhibit was permanently installed at Atlohsa Family Healing Services. Sean’s “Broken Circle”, features gold birds, each representing and honouring the missing and murdered women and girls across Turtle Island.

Sean is an artist and illustrator who enjoys a diversity of different media, working in oils, acrylics, graphite, airbrush, pen and ink, scratchboard, and woodburning for his work. He makes his home in London, Ontario with his wife and two daughters.

SPECIAL GUESTS

Guest Seaker
SENATOR MURRAY SINCLAIR

Senator Murray Sinclair has been invited to speak throughout Canada, the United States and internationally and has received Honorary Doctorates from over a dozen Canadian universities. He has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Aboriginal Achievement Award (1994) and the Lifetime Achievement Award (2016) from Indspire, the Manitoba Bar Association’s Equality Award (2001) and its Distinguished Service Award (2016). He most recently received the President’s Award from the Canadian Bar Association (2018). Senator Murray Sinclair was appointed to the Senate on April 2, 2016.

PERFORMERS

LOGAN STAATS

Logan Staats is Mohawk, from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory and was raised in the nearby town of Brantford, Ontario. As a singer-songwriter and musician, Logan achieved mainstream success throughout 2018, and in 2019, off of his win on the first season of CTV’s The Launch. He is best known for his single, “The Lucky Ones” which hit number one on the Canadian iTunes chart right after its release.

CRYSTAL SHAWANDA

Crystal is from Wikwemikong First Nation, Manitoulin Island, Ontario. A Juno nominated artist, Crystal’s first album, Dawn of a New Day, was released in Canada and the United States in the summer of 2008. The album entered the Canadian Country Albums chart at number 2, and the Billboard Top Country Albums chart at number 16. It became the highest charted album by a First Nations country artist in the SoundScan era. Crystal has also toured with artists such as Brad Paisley & Dierks Bentley.

Eagle Sponsor $10,000

Hawk Sponsors $5,000

Spirit Sponsors $2,000 - $2,500

In Kind Sponsors

Friendship Sponsors $400 - $1,999

Anova

Karen Butt

Sean Couchie

Amanda DeVries

Brescia University College

Four Feathers Housing Co-operative

General Dynamic Land Systems

Karen Ferguson

Cortnee Goure

Horizon Leadership

London Police Service

Don Mumford

Leslie Putnam

Middlesex-London Health Unit

N’Amerind (London) Friendship Centre

Nokee Kwe

Pillar Nonprofit Network

SouthwestOntario Aboriginal Health Access Centre

Thames Valley District School Board

Unifor Local 27

Unity Project

Supporting women and children at risk of violence, abuse, sexual exploitation and homelessness.

More than 550 people attended this year’s Peace Awards. The funds raised will go to Atlohsa Family Healing Services essential needs including the Zhaawanong Shelter and the Okaadenige Anti-human Trafficking Program.