Boozhoo News River Readers,

Not sure if you’ve noticed, but here in the northern hemisphere we’re currently experiencing the shortest and darkest days of the year. That drop in your energy and the urge to hibernate is real ;) 

We hope you’re able to pause for a moment to appreciate that your probably doing your best - in what can be a very demanding season for many.  

We also invite you to join us in celebration today - as we announce the recipients of our annual Animikii Technology Scholarship & Entrepreneurship Grant!

We always appreciate the time you spend with us - here’s the news,

This week’s stories include:  

• Receive 20% off registration to the Indigenous Tech Conference!

• Eden Fineday is excited for the future of Indigenous-led media.

• Reconciliation in the age of AI and social media

Celebrating a decade of Animikii Scholarship Awards 

The big picture: As part of our impact work, Animikii has awarded funds to Indigenous youth ages 17-30 in support of their pursuits in technology and entrepreneurship since 2015

Why it matters: By being an example of an Indigenous-focused tech company, we hope to inspire the next generation of Indigenous youth to choose technology and entrepreneurship as a career path. As a proud B Corp, these awards are also part of our annual impact measurement. 

Key points: 

• In ten years, we’ve now supported 30 youth recipients with funds!

• A dedicated committee of Thunderbirds from our team manage, iterate and improve the scholarship process each year. 

• Storytelling is an important means of communicating and reporting our impact out to our community - you’ll always hear stories first in this NewsRiver!

Learn more: This year, two recipients are engaged in tech assisted curatorial studies and advocate for those fleeing violence - read both of their stories here!

Curated Articles:

Receive 20% off registration to the Indigenous Tech Conference!

This is your chance to connect with investors, funders, and ventures at every stage—an opportunity to build relationships that can shape the next wave of Indigenous tech innovation. Bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders to explore how technology can drive economic growth and community empowerment - join us on January 20th & 21st in Vancouver. Day 1 is all about Entrepreneurship and Growth, with day 2 focused on Careers and Technology. Click the link above to access the discount - it will be applied at checkout. To view the full conference agenda with speakers visit: https://www.itconf.ca/

Eden Fineday Is a Creative Force

Eden Fineday is excited for the future of Indigenous-led media. The award-winning Nêhiyaw (Cree) journalist from Sweetgrass First Nation in Treaty 6 territory is just wrapping up her first year as the publisher of IndigiNews, a national, non-profit, Indigenous-led news outlet that turned five in the spring. Fineday was first hired as IndigiNews’ managing editor in November 2021. Originally part of Discourse Community Publishing, IndigiNews has been an independent and fully Indigenous-led outlet since January 2025. The past year has been marked by other notable milestones. On Dec. 30, 2024, Fineday gathered with five First Nations women journalists to elect the interim leadership for the Indigenous Media Association of Canada, which was incorporated on Jan. 6, 2025. The association works to unify Indigenous media professionals and advocate for First Nations, Inuit and Métis storytellers.

Reconciliation in the age of AI and social media

To help achieve reconciliation, we need a free, strong media where Canadians can get accurate information, hear diverse views and have open dialogue. When I was a young journalist, my role was to share stories and create spaces where audiences learned about the world outside their everyday lives. Over the span of two decades, I had an inside view of an era when news organizations began making a concerted effort to diversify their newsrooms, recognizing they needed to broaden the communities they covered and the stories they told. The media is not perfect, and mainstream news often continued to reflect mainstream Canada’s reality. But over the years, there has also been detailed coverage of crucial issues such as residential schools and the need for reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Not everyone has agreed on the issues or potential solutions but the media has generally presented facts in a balanced way.

‘We gotta act white’: how voice recognition tech fails for Aboriginal English speakers

Using voice to operate technologies is increasingly convenient in daily life, whether at home or while driving. More and more phones, televisions, smart speakers, and cars are embedded with automated speech-recognition technologies that transcribe speech into written words. These technologies enable the devices to understand what songs we want to listen to, where we want to drive, and whom we want to message. For many Indigenous people in Australia, however, voice-operated technologies can be a constant source of frustration, and occasional anger. Imagine having to change the way you speak just to ask your phone to play music or call a family member. This is the daily reality for many Indigenous people who speak Aboriginal English.

Grassroots Indigenous Media presents “Reclaim! Azhe-giiwewining”

After 5 years of blood, sweat, and tears ... we are getting ready to launch our video game Reclaim-Azhe-giiwewining! “Embark on an adventure where every word brings you closer to home! As Miskwaa, forge a path through a forest teaming with spirits, stories, and intricate puzzles inspired by Ojibwe culture and language in this all-new point and click adventure.” You can take a peek in Steam or Itch.io. Give us some love, add us to your wish list!