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+).
Fallon Farinacci will be honoured as Brock's 2025 Indigenous Leader Speaker Series on Thursday, June 19.
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.
