Personal recollections by a wide spectrum of Aboriginal women tell stories of injustice, racism, sexism, and genocide, but also of awakening, fierce struggles, and hope.

Âhkamêyimowak is a Cree word which embodies the strength that drives women to persevere, flourish, and work for change within their communities. Women are the unsung heroes of their communities, often using minimal resources to challenge oppressive structures and create powerful alternatives in the arts, education, and the workplace.

The stories included here are by women with vision, who inspire and lead those who have lived in their midst. Stories are a means of transmitting vital information from within community as well as to outside communities.

Relations are something fundamental to Indigenous communities the world over. Besides human relationships, there is a bigger set of relationships that keeps some people marginalized and others in positions of power. This book tells the stories of both sets of relationships. Some women tell powerful personal stories and others describe institutional relationships that keep Indigenous women in Canada – along with women generally, people of colour, indigenous peoples and youth around the world – in the margins. In both cases, the clarity of vision that comes from the margins is astounding and compelling.