Winnipeg run to support Indigenous women and girls in sport brings out people of all ages

People of all ages ran, walked and rolled five kilometres at Winnipeg's Kildonan Park on Saturday during an event to support Indigenous women and girls in sport.

The annual run, now in its second year, was organized by the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council, in partnership with Athletics Manitoba and Immigration Partnership Winnipeg's anti-racism in sport campaign.

It aims to raise money to support sports and recreation programs for Indigenous women and girls in communities across Manitoba.

The event itself also creates a community-oriented space that celebrates Indigenous women and girls, said organizer Season Kirkwood.

"What we're hoping to do is create … a sense of community for Indigenous women and girls to participate in sport and recreation," said Kirkwood, the social development manager for the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council.

"I think it's important to create safe spaces from the individual outward. So what we're really doing for Indigenous women and girls is creating programs and centring all the activities around them, and then bringing [the] public in just to show that they're supporting and actually answering calls to action."

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action include several related to sports and reconciliation — like calling on the federal government to ensure that policies around reducing barriers to participation in sports are inclusive of Indigenous peoples.

Stephanie Midford, who ran and volunteered in this year's event, said it brought out a wide range of people and skill levels.

But whether the participants were walking, running for the first time or attempting to beat their personal best time, all helped support an important cause, she said.

For Midford, who also participated in last year's run, the way the event is structured around supporting Indigenous women and girls makes her feel welcomed.

"It meant to me that I would come and I know I would create balance for myself for the morning, to start my day off in a good way with community, and being able to smudge and hearing drumming and just empowering others to join in and be a role model," she said.