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Shawna J. Serniak Self Empowerment + Community Builder + Resilience
“When you love yourself first, you will find that life is a journey filled with love where ever you go.”
Recipient of 2021 Alberta Northern Lights Award and founder of Every Woman Empowered, Shawna J. Serniak is dedicated to awakening self-love to create positive relationships within communities and the world at large. A powerful speaker and committed changemaker, Shawna kindles messages of resilience and self-understanding to youth, women, and Indigenous communities through vivid storytelling.
A woman of Ukrainian and Metis Scottish descent, Shawna spent most of her early life in a small town near Edmonton. There, Shawna and her family were subjected to the systemic injustices and social consequences of their Indigenous identity. Her parents, Mary and Nick Serniak spoke frankly of matters in the town, and urged Shawna to rise above anything that she faced. Shawna attributes her armor of strong will and open-mindedness to this upbringing, which would help her push through the hostility of her environment and later empower her to become a fearless voice for and active member of her communities.
As a single mother and recovering gambling addict, Shawna saw the scarcity of opportunities and support for the well-being of Indigenous women, single mothers, and women battling with addictions. This understanding did not discourage Shawna--instead, it compelled her to embark on a journey to change the circumstances for generations to come. Her vision to empower herself became united with the desire to create avenues for others to flourish, leading her to a remarkable speaking career in which she has impacted the lives of many with stories of self-discovery.
In 2012, Shawna created Every Woman Empowered, a non-profit organization that held conferences, workshops, and safe spaces for women to learn, grow, and support one another to lead healthy lives. With a deep devotion to her communities, she continued to establish an endowment fund with the Edmonton Community Foundation in 2017 and Project Change #MMIW in 2020 to educate and raise awareness for Missing and Murdering Indigenous Women and Girls.
Currently, Shawna is the Diversity Liaison with Canada’s Building Trades Union where she continues to be an active voice for matters in equality and to ask the difficult, yet necessary questions for moving forward in positive and sustainable ways.
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Living A Balanced Life: Which Wolf Do You Feed?
The battle of two “wolves” inside us is based on a Native American Cherokee story. Recognizing the attributes of both wolves within ourselves is crucial to living a healthy and balanced life. Drawing from this tale and reflections from her own life, Shawna encourages audiences to seek self-understanding in order to discover our inner truths, desires, and needs.
In this session, Shawna will share:
Strategies for recognizing the signs of negative coping mechanisms and how they are detrimental to our wellbeing
Ways to seek out and practice the mindsets and behaviours of healthy living
Personal stories of hardships, and how Shawna overcame these difficult experiencesSelf-Empowerment: The Power of ”I Am”
Words carry the tremendous power of creating new possibilities and shifting realities. In this insightful and resonant session, Shawna takes audiences on a journey to unlock the abundance of their experiences through changing self-talk and understanding that love exists within.
Join Shawna to discover:
- Teachings from the Medicine Wheel to create inward, outward, spiritual, and emotional love for ourselves
- The importance of accountability, setting boundaries, and advocating for space
- The power of affirmations and words for building pathways to fulfilling our dreams -
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Awards and Highlights
Alberta’s Northern Lights Recipient, 2021
Servus Feed Good Movement Recipient, 2020 -
Client List
Dreamcatchers Festival
MacEwan University
Edmonton Community Foundation
Covenant Health
Grey Nuns Community Hospital
Girl Guides of Canada
Good Shepherd School
Cowessess First Nation
Cowessess Community Educational Centre
Rupertsland Institute
Metis Nation of Alberta
Aboriginal Women's Professional Association
Sacred Heart Church of First Peoples
Women Talk Red Deer
Women Talk Edmonton
Connected Business Women's Network
Christmas Bureau
Kalispell Chamber of Commerce
Town of Breton
Blindman Brewery
Maple Star Specialised Foster Care
Edmonton Community Foundation
Ladies Corner
Hamlet of Kugluktuk, Nunavut
Speaker Categories:
Youth Champions Authors and Storytellers Education Healthy Relationships Leadership and Mentorship Motivation Womens IssuesA woman of Ukrainian and Metis Scottish descent, Shawna spent most of her early life in a small town near Edmonton. There, Shawna and her family were subjected to the systemic injustices and social consequences of their Indigenous identity. Her parents, Mary and Nick Serniak spoke frankly of matters in the town, and urged Shawna to rise above anything that she faced. Shawna attributes her armor of strong will and open-mindedness to this upbringing, which would help her push through the hostility of her environment and later empower her to become a fearless voice for and active member of her communities.
As a single mother and recovering gambling addict, Shawna saw the scarcity of opportunities and support for the well-being of Indigenous women, single mothers, and women battling with addictions. This understanding did not discourage Shawna--instead, it compelled her to embark on a journey to change the circumstances for generations to come. Her vision to empower herself became united with the desire to create avenues for others to flourish, leading her to a remarkable speaking career in which she has impacted the lives of many with stories of self-discovery.
In 2012, Shawna created Every Woman Empowered, a non-profit organization that held conferences, workshops, and safe spaces for women to learn, grow, and support one another to lead healthy lives. With a deep devotion to her communities, she continued to establish an endowment fund with the Edmonton Community Foundation in 2017 and Project Change #MMIW in 2020 to educate and raise awareness for Missing and Murdering Indigenous Women and Girls.
Currently, Shawna is the Diversity Liaison with Canada’s Building Trades Union where she continues to be an active voice for matters in equality and to ask the difficult, yet necessary questions for moving forward in positive and sustainable ways.
Speaker Summary
Location: Canada
Language: English
Website: Click Here
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