Rose Charlie (1930 – 2018)

Dr. Rose Charlie was a Sts'Ailes chief and respected Indigenous leader. For more than 25 years, she dedicated herself to the pursuit of social justice for First Nations women. A member of the Chehalis Band and Sto:lo Nation in British Columbia, Dr. Charlie helped establish two of the most influential Indigenous women's groups in Canada, the National Association of Indian Rights for Indian Women and the Native Women's Association of Canada. Her tireless efforts to challenge the Indian Act alongside other activists resulted in legislation that restored the rights of thousands of women and their children as First Nations people and have cemented her place in Canada's history. She received numerous honours, including the Order of British Columbia and a Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case.

“Our women were beginning to realize that…without the proper facilities, we were not able to do adequate home cooking and sewing. So we were passing resolutions that we needed better homes – or homes, period.”