In a world where the population is approximately 7.4 billion people, and approximately 50% of those people are female, there are a lot of stories that have gone untold. This cache series recognizes some amazing women and girls, and highlights their contributions to our planet...some large, some small, but all very important. Do you know all of these Mighty Girls? I hope that someone in this series is a new name to you, and that you will help to share these stories, and many more! I also look forward to hearing your own Mighty Girl stories!
A Mighty Girl 10: Shannen Koostachin
Shannen Koostachin was born in Attawapiskat, as a member of the Attawapiskat First Nation in Northern Ontario. As a young girl she dreamed that she, and other students in her community, would have a “safe and comfy school” to learn and grow in...rather than the mould-contaminated portables they were using. Her dream quickly expanded to include all First Nations children in Canada.
As stated in the Globe and Mail, “The children of Attawapiskat became the face of a generation of forgotten first-nation reserve children and Shannen became their voice. She had moxie. She challenged government ministers and spoke at rallies and youth conferences. At 14, she was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize. In December, 2009, the government finally agreed to build a school.”
Writing at 13, Shannen shared this message: "I would tell the children not to be afraid, to follow their dreams. I would tell them to never give up hope. Get up, pick up your books, and go to school (just not in portables)."
Shannen died in a car accident before her sixteenth birthday, in 2010. Her campaign, renamed “Shannen’s Dream” continued, and a new school in her community was finally constructed. This school opened on September 8, 2014.