Portraits of First Nations Members in Calgary

CALGARY, CANADA: Muriel Stanley Venne, President, Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women. Venne, Metis, born at Lamont Alberta is the mother of four, a grandmother and great grandmother. She achieved her University entrance primarily by correspondence, in order to attain her B.Ed. She attended three years and left her studies at the University of Alberta to work for the Metis Association of Alberta as Department Head for Job Opportunities and Placement. After making as presentation in Slave Lake , on the plight of Aboriginal people, Premier Peter Lougheed appointed her as one of the first seven Commissioners of the Alberta Human Rights Commission in 1973 serving for four years; she was Executive Director of Native Outreach for 10 years working in the employment of Aboriginal people in the province; Bechtel's Community Relations for the Alsands Project; Co-ordinator of the Metis Settlement Carpentry Training Project,serving 6 years on the Alberta Apprenticeship Board and later General Manager of Settlement Sooniyaw Corporation; then Marketing Officer for the National Film Board of Canada. As President and Founder of the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women, she lends her expertise on the issues confronting Aboriginal Women and has received many awards including the YWCA Lois Hole, Lifetime Achievement Award. Under her leadership IAAW achieved recognition for Aboriginal Women at the Annual Esquao Awards now in it's 20th year. (Photo by Giles Clarke/Getty Images)