SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Forty-five years after the YWCA first opened its doors in Yellowknife, more than 150 delegates from across North America finally gathered here for the organization's annual national membership meeting.

The theme was "Leading the way to safer communities," with a focus on outreach, leadership and women's safety and shelters.

"It is fitting that we are here," Tanis Crosby, executive director of YWCA Halifax, said.

"The Yellowknife YWCA is an incredible leader."

The group conducted business, from approving meeting minutes to unanimously voting Agvvik Nunavut in as the newest member association, but also celebrated the work the YWCA does in the community.

Janet Austin, CEO of YWCA Vancouver, said although everyone with the organization fights for social issues across the country, the challenges faced in Yellowknife are intensified.

Yellowknife executive director "Lyda Fuller shows leadership in so many ways. The whole (YWCA Yellowknife) board has shown an appetite for risk-taking."

She highlighted their work providing housing as one of their biggest successes, but also one of their biggest challenges.

The national meeting opened June 3 with a performance by the Dettah Drummers and a prayer by Chief Ed Sangris.

Throat singers Tanya Tagaq and Goota Ashoona performed later that morning to a standing ovation, and in the afternoon all 150 members drove out to Dettah for lunch at the Chief Drygeese Government Building.

Judie Bopp, co-founder and director of the Four Worlds Centre for Development and Learning, was the keynote speaker and spoke to members about women's homelessness across the North.

Tagaq said it was inspiring seeing all the women who travelled North for the meeting, and said more work like what the YWCA does is needed desperately.

"There's a support only you can feel in a big group of women," she said.

The annual membership meeting took 11 months to plan, which YWCA Canada CEO Paulette Senior told the group "is longer than it takes to have a baby, you will note."

The meeting ran from June 3 to 4 at the Explorer Hotel, although many participants came early or stayed late to do some sightseeing.

YWCA Canada's main goals are to fight violence against women, ensure women's economic security and childcare, and promote women's leadership.

Each year, one million women and their families benefit from their support.

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