Celebrated changemaker Fallon Farinacci will share her powerful story of survival and healing
when she is recognized as Brock University’s 2025 Indigenous Leader Speaker Series honouree
this week.
Farinacci is a proud Red River Métis, renowned speaker and writer, and passionate advocate for
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S+).
The free public talk takes place online from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 19. Held in
advance of National Indigenous Peoples Day, on Saturday, June 21, the event is a collaboration
between Brock’s Indigenous Engagement Office and the Goodman School of Business.
Farinacci’s place within the advocacy community stems from her lived experience as well as
connecting with others in the community who have endured similar loss, trauma and systematic
failures.
She says she’s honoured to receive this recognition of her efforts to raise awareness across
Turtle Island about the ongoing genocide against Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ folx.
“I realized I wasn’t alone in what I had gone through and wanted to ensure that no one else felt
alone, the way I once felt,” Farinacci said. “My spirit name is White Thunder Woman. The elder
who gifted me my spirit name said it means that I am here to make a lot of noise, and that is how
I lead within advocacy. My spirit name is my guide to the work I do in bringing awareness.”
Farinacci has testified at the National Inquiry for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and
Girls, sharing her personal story of loss and trauma. She later joined the National Family
Advisory Circle, where she worked closely with other MMIWG2S+ family members and the
Commissioners for the National Inquiry.
She will be joined in conversation at the event with Brock University’s Vice-Provost, Indigenous
Engagement Robyn Bourgeois, who selected Farinacci as this year’s honouree.
“Fallon embodies leadership excellence,” Bourgeois says. “As a childhood survivor of
MMIWG2S+, she uses her social platform to change the world for the better. She has the most
beautiful spirit, and it inspires others to do better.”
Farinacci has cultivated a large online community through social media and uses her platform to
raise awareness, support Indigenous businesses and create change.
She says she’s filled with gratitude for how the online community has supported her journey.
“I’ve been speaking and using my voice, prior to using social media, as a tool to share my
message for years, but once I realized the ways in which social media could be used to spread
awareness and the large audience my messages could reach, then I knew it was the way.”
Goodman Dean Barry Wright says the School is honoured to welcome Farinacci to the speaker
series, which endeavours to amplify Indigenous voices, deepen collective understandings and
create space for vital conversations.
“By engaging with leaders like Fallon, our students gain insight into leadership rooted in
resilience, community and reconciliation, which is an essential part of shaping a more inclusive
future in business and beyond,” he says.
This is the fifth instalment of the Indigenous Leader Speaker Series. Previous honourees include
Jon Davey (BA ’05), Vice-President, CEO Support at Scotiabank; Karen MacKenzie, co-founder
and President of MacKintosh Canada; Mallory Yawnghwe, founder and CEO of Indigenous Box;
and Jenn Harper, founder of Cheekbone Beauty Inc.
To receive a link to the event, please register online.