WHO is Ashley Richard?

Ashley Richard is a proud Ojibwé, Métis, and Filipina woman residing in Winnipeg, Treaty 1 Territory. Her Spirit Name is Forever Woman. Ashley’s life purpose is to follow in the footsteps of her grandmother, Mary Richard. She is currently the Associate Director for the WEKH National Indigenous Hub, a project with the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH), focussed on building an inclusive innovation ecosystem for Indigenous women entrepreneurs. Outside of WEKH, Ashley’s current projects include WellNest, a social enterprise initiative focussed on improving the livelihood and wellbeing of young Indigenous women aging out of care, and contract work in media production, public speaking, event planning, and research.

Why is this conversation important?

None of us are experts - we each bring our own talents, gifts, experiences, and knowledge to the table and it's at this table where we co-create and learn from one another. We learn something new at each event, meeting, or gathering that we attend and have the opportunity to apply the learning in our own lives In the spirit of reciprocity, others have the opportunity to also learn from you.

In order to move forward, we need to have Indigenous knowledge and traditions at the root of our business relationships. For Ashley, braiding for impact means we are working together towards a common goal, making intentional actions towards creating the 2030 we want to see.

Braiding for impact is important at this time because collaboration and working from a mindset of abundance is the path that will allow for Indigenous entrepreneurs, innovators, and sector leaders to thrive. Organizations across Turtle Island are realizing the importance of supporting Indigenous businesses by supporting one another we are showcasing a new model of business partnerships.