Cheryl-Anne Carr was born in Moosejaw, SK in a Métis family, moving to Winnipeg in 1962. Growing up in a single family with her Mother, a Catholic school teacher, and two brothers, she spent her childhood in the library, gaining an appreciation of storytelling and culture in the process of social change. A mother of six children, she has degrees in education and theatre and certificates in Social Work, psychology, mediation and Anti-Racism Training. After teaching at Nelson House First Nation and The Pas, she worked for thirteen years in community development in Winnipeg’s inner city where she was a strong advocate for Aboriginal rights and did original research used to create Metis Child and Family Services. Cheryl-Anne promotes Métis culture and has worked on family, immigrant rights, anti-war and arts issues. Cheryl-Anne helped develop the first Métis Pavilion at Winnipeg’s Folklorama and the first Aboriginal Village at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. She was an organizer of the 1991 World Health Organization’s Pan American Health Organisation Conference for Indigenous Peoples and was the hemisphere’s Métis representative. She spoke on behalf of the Métis National Council at the First Minister’s Conference with Aboriginal People on the Charlottetown Accord, the only woman to speak at the Conference. She was the first Winnipeg rep for the Metis Women of Manitoba. Through these endeavors she promoted the once forbidden wearing of the sash for women over the shoulder as a sign of nationality. Begun in 1985 it is now considered "traditional". Known as “Auntie” to many in the community, Cheryl-Anne is a drum carrier, story teller, artist and writer. She is particularly pleased with the friendships and bridges she has been able to make in the Muslim community and with activists and youth. “I have never wanted to be anything else but a revolutionary deeply in love with humanity.” She has made dozens of banners for groups and directs and creates art work for Winnipeg’s Aboriginal Catholic Church. Cheryl-Anne is a member of the Winnipeg Labour Defence League and is a former member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Photo: Peace Alliance Winnipeg
