The winner of the inaugural Joanne Helmer Fellowship in 2023 was Annalise Bexte.
Annalise is a third year History/Education major with an interest in studying the World Wars, as well as food and clothing history. Her project focused on Joanne Helmer’s role in stimulating dialogue on various women's issues, specifically on women's bodily autonomy.
As part of the Helmer award Annalise completed an Independent Study titled “Two Way Communication: Joanne Helmer’s Activist Role in the Women’s Rights Movement“ and has submitted an article for publication in “Prairie History,” the journal of the Manitoba Historical Society.
Annalise reported about her experience holding the Helmer Award: “I really enjoyed this project because I was able to highlight a local individual who was influential to the women's rights movement in Canada. I strengthened my research skills and gained more experience examining primary sources. The skills I gained will be helpful for the rest of my career in and after university.”