Aksis, Edmonton's Indigenous Business & Professional Association

06/14/2026

Access to practical business learning, delivered in a way that meets entrepreneurs where they’re at continues to be a gap for many Indigenous business owners.

This spring, Aksis is working with BDC to offer a Fundamentals of Business cohort for members.

The program includes 10 core courses through BDC’s Academy platform, combined with opportunities for in-person connection and knowledge sharing throughout the experience.

It’s designed to support entrepreneurs and professionals in building strong foundations, asking the right questions, and growing or starting their businesses with confidence within a community that understands their realities.

If you’re an Aksis member and interested in participating, reach out to [email protected].

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05/28/2026

Did you hear? The best event of the year, the AKSIS Annual Golf Tournament, is returning on September 4, 2026!

A day of golfing with Indigenous entrepreneurs, professionals, and partners from across the Edmonton region centered on connection and community? YES PLEASE!

We are proud to be supported by partners such as and encourage of Edmonton, , , and International, to join us again!

If your organization is looking for a tangible way to support Indigenous business and connect with a strong, growing network, we'd welcome the conversation.

To learn more or to discuss sponsorship opportunities, contact [email protected].

05/20/2026

Member Spotlight: Nichole Thomson, Edmonton International Airport (YEG)

Nichole Thomson is the Manager of Social Impact and Indigenous Partnerships at Edmonton International Airport, where she helps shape projects so inclusion and sustainability are built in from the start.
Her path into this work began in procurement, where she saw how purchasing decisions could either advance or ignore economic reconciliation. That early insight continues to guide her work today.

In her current role, she splits her time between internal collaboration across departments and external work with communities and businesses looking for ways to align. Right now, much of her focus is on EIA’s PAIR certification and the early stages of building a Reconciliation Action Plan.
Nichole is a reconnecting woman of Cree and settler descent, and that identity shapes how she shows up in her work. She leads with humility, listening first and building relationships. The teaching of wâhkôhtowin grounds her day to day, reminding her that everything is connected and that our actions ripple outward. On the hardest days, she returns to the idea of being “good medicine,” a phrase that has stayed with her since first hearing it at a conference.

Since joining Aksis in 2025, Nichole has valued how genuinely relational the connections feel. Not surface-level networking, but real connection. She hopes this sense of community continues to grow, so the next generation of Indigenous professionals can step into spaces that are intentionally built with inclusion from the start.

Good to have you with us at Aksis, Nichole.

Know an Aksis member doing meaningful work? Tag them below, we’d love to feature them.

05/16/2026

We’ve been busy at Aksis lately!

On May 6, Aksis and NorQuest College officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding focused on creating stronger pathways for Indigenous career development, collaboration, and community connection.

This partnership reflects what’s possible when organizations come together with a shared commitment to supporting Indigenous professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and learners in meaningful and practical ways.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase to others the possibilities that are available when you come together in collaboration. We are looking forward to furthering the career development of the Indigenous community through partnerships such as this.”
— Marnie Suitor, Co-Executive Director, Aksis

A huge thank you to those who helped make this possible. We’re excited for what comes next!

If you’re an Indigenous entrepreneur, professional, student, or ally looking to connect into a growing network of opportunity, we invite you to become part of the Aksis community.

Learn more or become a member at aksisyeg.ca

05/14/2026

May 14, Moose Hide Campaign Day, is an annual, nation-wide day to acknowledge and end gender-based violence. The square moose hide pin we wear today was an idea created by campaign co-founders Raven and Paul Lacerte.

Today, we honour their vision and ask our community members to do the same. Speak up and engage with men and boys in your life — encourage them to take time today to participate in Ceremony and Reflection.

The moose hide pin is a powerful symbol. It requires us to foster spaces of safety, dignity and respect for women, girls and gender-diverse folks. At Aksis, we’re committed to honouring our matriarchs and their families. Walk alongside us in solidarity and end gender-based violence today.

Your voice. Your action. Your commitment.

05/07/2026

What are you doing on May 14? Come Join Us!

We’ll be gathering in Edmonton for our Annual General Meeting, Member Showcase, and Spring BBQ Mixer. The AGM is a chance to hear updates on the work happening across Aksis and take part in shaping what comes next.

You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with Indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses, and spend time together with food!

Registration is open! https://luma.com/sourkko0
Hurry as there's only one week left!

Date: May 14, 2026
Time: 1:00–6:00 PM
Location: Wingate by Wyndham, Edmonton

05/05/2026

May 5, Red Dress Day, is the National Day of Awareness and Remembrance for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S). The red dress, first brought forward by Métis artist Jaime Black as "an aesthetic response to this critical national issue" has become a powerful symbol of the lives stolen and the voices unheard. This ongoing crisis is not separate from our history and continues to impact Indigenous Peoples across this country. The effects are felt not only in loss, but in the health, safety, and wellbeing in our communities.

On this day, and every day, we honour the lives and legacies of those who are no longer with us, and we stand with the families and communities who continue to call for justice.

At Aksis, this awareness lives alongside the work we do, how we show up for one another and ultimately, how we move forward together.

05/04/2026

We talk a lot about Indigenous economic growth but not enough about what it actually takes to participate in the economy in the first place.

For many Indigenous professionals and entrepreneurs in urban spaces, the challenge isn’t a lack of ambition. It’s navigating systems that weren’t built with us in mind.

This piece shares how Aksis is creating space in Edmonton for people to connect, learn, and build together in a good way.

By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter (ANNews) – Marnie Suitor and Shelly Mandeville serve as co-Executive Directors of Aksis, the Indigenous Business and Professional...