By Chevi Rabbit  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Indigenous women, over the last 500 years, have been subjugated to systemic abuse and colonization. In the colonization of their minds, bodies, and families, many of these life givers have lost their traditional roles as mothers and the ability to nourish and empower their families’ abilities to survive and thrive. Aggressive assimilation programs like the Indian Act, Canada’s residential schools, and Canada’s sixties scoop have robbed women of their respect, dignity, and the life skills needed to raise healthy home fires. Some women like Teresa Strong, at age 47, have spent 17 years rebuilding their lives, working through trauma to empower themselves, their families, and others with similar experiences who have turned to gang life to fill that void. It’s been a long

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