Conducting its second annual campaign in Prince George–Lheidli T’enneh is the Prince George VAWIR Committee, with Purple Lights Nights. VAWIR stands for Violence Against Women in Relationships, and associated committees have existed and organized throughout the province since 1993 at the behest of the Province. Our community has now joined that greater movement and is running a series of workshops, open to the public raising Intimate Partner Violence awareness (IPV), through October 30th, 2026.

CFURadio spoke to two of the event’s central coordinators, the Northern Women's Centre's Tanvi Guhagarkar, and Northern FIRE’s Dr. Indrani Margolin, who encouraged all listeners to make time for an event. To that effect, Guhagarkar highlighted two goals of the campaign, “...Awareness, and for people to feel welcome in their own skin, honestly.” Attendees do not have to come equipped with something to say, and can ease through some of the more challenging topics through hands-on activities that the events feature. Dr. Margolin took time to describe the philosophy informing her passion for including opportunities to be creative within healing processes. Describing an aspect of the aid creativity can provide to progress healing, she said simply “...we reengage that capacity to act.”

With this event series possibly being an initial step towards understanding IPV, or potentially healing from IPV, it is open to the public.

Purple Lights Nights events carry through the month of October, and people can show their support not only by attending and volunteering, but by lighting up purple lights at their homes, offices, or businesses. Some lights can be made available, while supplies last, by contacting vawirpg@gmail.com.

- Ian Gregg, CFURadio 88.7FM, Due North News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter