Nellie Carlson (1927 ‒ 2020)

Nellie Carlson was born on Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta. Within three weeks of her marriage to a non-Indigenous man, Nellie Carlson received a letter informing her she had lost her Indigenous status. For the next 18 years, she fought to reclaim her rights and those of countless other Indigenous women. A tireless promoter of Indigenous women's rights, Carlson was a founding member and President of Indian Rights for Indian Women, an organization that works for the repeal of discriminatory sections of the Indian Act and supports equality for all Indigenous women. She also served on the Ad Hoc Committee on Native Women's Issues and the Alberta Status of Women Committee. Carlson received numerous distinctions, including a Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case.

“There’s so much to learn out there.”