Alice

Having grown up in a family atmosphere of violence, it’s perhaps not surprising that Alice decided to become a social worker even though she had a strong passion for the arts—one day, she hoped to start her own arts-based business.

When she graduated in 1988 from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, she was among the first proud wave of Aboriginal Canadians to get a degree. She was hired as the treatment manager at an abuse centre. She married and started a family.

Then her husband abandoned her.

Alice was soon overwhelmed by the stress of juggling her demanding job while raising three young girls on her own. She decided to leave her job and pursue her dream.

She signed up for the Gateway program, offered by the PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise—PARO is a Latin word meaning “I am ready.”

Through the program, Alice met with a business counselor, attended weekly training sessions on topics like bookkeeping and marketing, and joined a network of other new female entrepreneurs.

Her timing was great—the Centre happened to be organizing the Thundering Women’s Folk Festival, the perfect venue for Alice to display her stone carvings and perform hand drumming.  “It was an amazing powerhouse of women in the arts,” she says. “I was so impressed and inspired by how they brought women together.”

The PARO environment was so welcoming and empowering, Alice felt right at home.  “It’s part of my family circle,” she says.

After finishing the Gateway program, she signed up for PARO’s “accelerator” program. There, she learned how to take her business idea to the next level, to assess her strengths and weaknesses, and to create realistic goals.

She launched the Beedaubin (Rising of the Sun) Arts Collaborative for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth and elders. As artistic director, Alice securing funding and uses the arts as a “tool to bring people together.” Thanks to her new business skills and the encouragement of her PARO family, Alice was able to finally make her dream a reality.

Alice has since gone on to earn a Master’s degree in social work. She continues to help her community heal, both through her professional and artistic lives. Next, she would like to earn her doctorate in social work, the arts, or community development.

She credits PARO with helping her learn to take risks and go for her dreams.

For Alice, life has no limits.  “I feel I am only at the cusp of what I can do” she says.