NOVEMBER 12TH 2025

Meet our amazing committee members and discover a new fun fact about our province!

Visual Description / Transcription:

1st Video (ASL): A woman with long brown hair wears a light brown knitted sweater, with her front bangs pinned up on her right side. She is sitting on a red chair in front of her white curtains, with a large plant to her right. 

1st Video (LSQ): A woman with blonde hair tied in a bun wearing a black shirt with a green and blue dotted pocket on her left side. The background behind her is solid black.

Transcript

Jamie: Hello! My name is Jamie and I go by "J" on the chest. I am your CDWC Co-chairperson. I have a fun fact — hmm, where can we find the northern lights? Yukon? Iceland? ...Nope! They can be found here in Manitoba! Mnaitoba is an aurora hotspot and some people can see up to 300 nights a year. Very cool. Where to find this best spot to be exact? Churchill, which is in the north area of Manitoba. 

2nd Video (ASL): A woman with wavy blonde hair wearing a shiny brown jacket and blue jeans. She is standing outside in the front of a big river with a red top light tower, train tracks, and some briskly trees in the background

2nd Video (LSQ): A woman with wavy blonde hair wearing a black long sleeve. She is sitting behind a grey desk with a black background.

Transcript

Jenna-Lee: Hi! My name is Jenna-Lee and my sign name is J-L. I am the co-chair for the Canadian Deaf Conferencein 2026. A fun fact about Manitoba is that here in Winnipeg, at the Forks, I am standing in front of a river that is not frozen right now, but when it gets really cold, it'll become one of the longest natural skating trails in the world. Isn't that intriguing, hey?

3rd Video (ASL): A woman with brown hair in ponytail, with blonde ends resting on her shoulder, is wearing glasses and a black top. She is standing in front of a tan wall with a wooden door frame to her left. 

3rd Video (LSQ): A woman with wavy blonde hair tied in a bun wearing a black long sleeve. She is sitting behind a grey desk with a black background.

Transcript

Katie: Hello! My name is Katie Churchill! My role is Treasurer for CDWC 2026. Here's a fun fact about Manitoba: the province has over 100,000 lakes, and only about 10% of them have names. Pretty cool, hey? I'm excited to be part of this team, and I look forward to seeing you all in Winnipeg in 2026!

4th Video (ASL): A woman with wavy brown hair wearing a purple shirt with a black shirt underneath and black pants. She is standing in the front of a large display wall featuring a collection of Winnie the Pooh book in various sizes

4th Video (LSQ): A woman with wavy blonde hair wearing a black long sleeve. She is sitting behind a grey desk with a black background.

Transcript

Jessica: Hi! My name is "J" on the side of my chin, and spelled Jessica Szacilowski. I am responsible for the registration. Did you know that the story of Winnie the Pooh was named after Winnipeg? We have a museum, you should come and see for yourself!

5th Video (ASL): A woman is standing indoors in front of a wooden log wall. She is wearing black glasses and a black long-sleeved top, and her brown hair is tied up. One of her arms has a floral tattoo. The atmosphere feels calm and natural, with soft lightning highlighting the wood's texture in the background. 

5th Video (LSQ): A woman with wavy blonde hair tied in a bun wearing a black T-shirt with a logo on her left side. She is sitting behind a grey desk with a black background.

Transcript

Stephanie: Hello! My name is Stephanie Jebb, I am the fundraising coordinator for the CDWC. Did you know that the name of our province, Manitoba, comes from the Creew word "manitou-wapow", meaning "the narrows of the Great Spirit"? The province was named Manitoba in 1870, and the name was proposed by Louis Riel to honor the Cree people and their language.  

6th Video (ASL): A woman with long, wavy brown hair is wearing a black wrap-style sweater and olive pants. She is standing outside on a grassy area, with a fence to her left and a tree in the far background to her right. 

6th Video (LSQ): A woman with wavy blonde hair tied in a bun sits behind a grey desk with a black background. She wears a black long-sleeved shirt rolled up on her arms.

Transcript

Connie: Hi! My name is Connie LaBossiere, and my sign name is a "C" placed at the center of my chest. I am the program book coordinator. Did you know that in my hometown of Treherne, we have a really cool and unique glass house? It includes a house, a church, a bathroom, and a wishing well, all hand-built with over 10,000 glass bottles, such as wine and liquor bottles. Take a look — although it's closed today.

7th Video (ASL): A woman with short blonde hair stands in a hallway. Behind her are brick walls, framed photos, and a glass display wall. She is wearing a dark green shirt and eyeglasses.

7th Video (LSQ): A woman with blonde hair tied in a bun wearing a black shirt with a pocket on her left side. She is sitting behind a grey desk with a black background.

Transcript

Kyra: Hi! My name is Kyra Zimmer. I am the coordinator for all events happening during the conference week. Fun fact: Look at where I am standing right now— it's a Deaf school! It was built in 1922 for our Deaf school and operated until 1940. We had to give the building to the Army's Wireless Training Academy, and all of our Deaf students had to move out. Our Deaf school had to relocate to several locations around the city for a while, and then finally, in 1965, they got this building back! The Deaf school remained here until 1996. Now it's the Canadian Mennonite University (CMU). It's a beautiful building, and what a history it has!

8th Video (ASL): A graffiti mural featuring Métis symbols and multiple images representing St. Laurent. In front of it, a woman with wavy hair is wearing a Métis sash over a long black winter jacket. 

8th Video (LSQ): A woman with wavy blonde hair wearing a dark grey shirt with a red pocket on her left side. She is sitting behind a grey desk with a black background.

Transcript

Debroah: Hi! My name is Debroah Owczar, and my sign name is "D—C" on my dominant shoulder. My role is Volunteers Coordinator for the Women's Conference 2026. Here's a fun fact about St. Laurent in Manitoba, where I grew up: it's one of the largest and oldest Métis communities in the world (correction: in Canada), and the Michif language and traditions are still alive and strong. Fascinating, right?

9th Video (ASL): A woman stands outdoors behind a low rock wall. She is wearing a light-coloured jacket, eyeglasses, and an orange hat that has a patch reading "You are on Native land." The wind gently blows through her long, brown hair. 

9th Video (LSQ): A woman with blonde hair tied in a bun wearing a black shirt with a pocket on her left side. She is sitting behind a grey desk with a black background.

Transcript

Katarina: Hello! My name is Katarina and my sign name is "K" on the side of chin, with the movements of pointing it outward. I am the graphic designer! Hmm what is a fun fact about Manitoba... Look at where I am standing right now, is called Oodena Celebration Circle. It's a sacred gathering spot for our traditional Indigenous ceremonies (i.e drumming, dancing, singing) and cultural events. It's a beautiful place for our gatherings. 

10th Video (ASL): A woman wearing a jacket and a hat stands in front of a sign that reads "Université de Saint-Boniface." 

10th Video (LSQ): A woman with blonde hair tied in a bun wearing a black shirt with a pocket on her left side. She is sitting behind a grey desk with a black background.

Transcript

Stephanie: Hello! My name is Stephanie. I'm the accessibility coordinator for the Canadian Deaf Women in 2026 in the Summer. I'm here at the University of St. Boniface, which was the first university in Western Canada, established in 1818 by founding father, Norbert Provencher to teach Latin to Métis boys in a small wooden building. Now it's the University of St. Boniface. 

11th Video (ASL): A woman with short brown hair standing outside wearing a puffer jacket and black winter hat. She is wearing eyeglasses and a black shirt underneath. 

11th Video (LSQ): A woman with blonde hair tied in a bun wearing a black shirt with a pocket on her left side. She is sitting behind a grey desk with a black background.

Transcript

Jocelynn: Hi Canada! My name is Jocelynn Johnson, and I'm from Winnipeg.I am coordinating sponsorships and presenters for the Canadian Deaf Women's Conference taking place in Winnipeg in 2026. Here's an interesting fact about Winnipeg... Have you heard the story of "James Bond"? Many people think it's a British story, but it's actually based on a Canadian story from Winnipeg! The statue behind me shows Sir William Stephenson, "The man called Intrepid," who was the inspiration for the writer of James Bond. Come and visit Winnipeg to discover even more fascinating facts!

12th Video (ASL): A woman with wavy blonde hair wearing a dark grey shirt with a red pocket on her left side. She is sitting behind a grey desk with a black ground.

12th Video (LSQ): A woman with wavy blonde hair wearing a dark grey shirt with a red pocket on her left side. She is sitting behind a grey desk with a black background.

Transcript

Tricia: Hello! My name is Tricia and my sign name is "T" sliding down on the cheek. My role is social media, where I post and share all of our news and information on our social media platforms. The fun fact is Manitoba was the first province to grant women the right to vote on January 26, 1916 after many years of being denied this fundamental right

The video fades to black.