Bertha Allen
{{Short description|Women's rights advocate}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bertha Allen
| image = Bertha_Allen.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =Bertha Moses
| birth_date = 1934
| birth_place = Old Crow, Yukon, Canada
| death_date = 7 May {{death year and age|2010|1934}}
| death_place =
| other_names =
| occupation = Activist
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
}}
Bertha Allen ({{nee}} Moses; 1934 – 7 May 2010) was a Vuntut Gwitchin women's rights and aboriginal rights advocate.{{cite web |last=Kurszewski |first=Denise M. |date=2006 |title=Herstory Month in Canada - celebrating women's achievements |url=http://nupge.ca/news_2006/n01oc06a.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402125234/http://nupge.ca/news_2006/n01oc06a.htm |archivedate=2 April 2015 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |publisher=National Union of Public and General Employees |df=dmy}}
Early life and education
Allen was born in Old Crow, Yukon, and raised by her grandparents. At the age of 12, she was sent to a mission school in Aklavik, where she studied for 5 years.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} She attended Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, formerly known as Grant MacEwan Community College, to take courses in life-skill coaching and leadership.{{Cite web |date=2014-11-20 |title=Bertha Allen - Indspire |url=https://indspire.ca/laureate/bertha-allen-2/ |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=indspire.ca |language=en-US}}
Career
Allen strove to improve health services in the Northwest Territories through 10 years of volunteer work with the Territorial Hospital Insurance Services Board. For 5 years, she served as a volunteer for the Inuvik Medical Transient Centre. In 2001, she became a member of the Council of Grandmothers where she served as the liaison between the elderly of the community and the Northwest Territories government of health regarding issues around wellness and social development. Bertha Allen was the founding president of the Native Women's Association of the Northwest Territories. She also served as the president of the Native Women's Association of Canada and the Advisory Council on the Status of Women in the Northwest Territories.{{cite journal |last1=Kurszewski |first1=Denise M. |date=December 2010 |title=Bertha Allen (1934–2010) |url=http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic63-4-487.pdf |journal=Arctic |volume=63 |issue=4 |pages=487 |doi=10.14430/arctic3346 |accessdate=22 March 2015}}
Awards and accolades
- 1987: NWT Commissioner’s Volunteer Award, highest level
- 1987: National Health and Welfare Canadian Volunteer Award
- 1999: Governor General Award{{Cite web |title=Governor General Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case - Status of Women Canada |url=https://swc-cfc.gc.ca/commemoration/gg/recip-laure/1999-en.html |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=swc-cfc.gc.ca}}
- 2005: National Aboriginal Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award {{Cite web |title=Bertha Allen fought for equality and empowerment |url=https://www.windspeaker.com/index.php/news/womens-history-month/bertha-allen-fought-for-equality-and-empowerment |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Windspeaker.com |language=en}}
- 2006: Member of the Order of Canada{{Cite web |title=Ms. Bertha Allen |url=https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-8681 |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=The Governor General of Canada |language=en}}
- 2009: Northern medal by governor general Michael Jean
Personal life and death
Bertha Allen married Victor Allen, an Inuvialuk man, and had six children. Allen died of cancer in 2010.
References
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Category:20th-century First Nations people
Category:20th-century First Nations women
Category:21st-century First Nations people
Category:21st-century First Nations women
Category:Canadian women's rights activists
Category:Vuntut Gwitchin people
Category:Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case winners
Category:Members of the Order of Canada
Category:20th-century Canadian women
Category:First Nations feminists