Since 1981, the Elizabeth Fry Society has supported women across Canada who are criminalized or are at risk of criminalization. In Saskatchewan, the organization is led by Nicole Obrigavitch, and she is helping to grow the Elizabeth Fry Society’s impact in our city, especially when it comes to affordable housing.

When Nicole started as the Executive Director of the Elizabeth Fry Society in 2023, the organization had seven staff and focused on helping women who were leaving the prison or were in the criminal justice system. Today, Nicole leads a staff of 31 people who are still providing those services but are also helping women get the supports and services they need to prevent entering the criminal system.

Nicole is proud of the work being done by her team and is grateful for the partnerships the Elizabeth Fry Society has formed in the past three years with community and government organizations. Especially when it comes to creating affordable housing opportunities for women in Saskatoon.

My friend Brynn Service, who was on the podcast last year, first mentioned Nicole to me as a potential guest for the podcast, and I am grateful she did because, as you are about to hear, Nicole is a passionate advocate for women at risk, and she has a direct style of communication that is leading to positive change in Saskatoon.

Empathy is a major theme in my conversation with Nicole. She admires the empathy her team shows to all their clients, even in the hardest of circumstances, and Nicole understands firsthand the impact incarceration can have on women because she has spent in jail.

If you ever have the chance to have a conversation with Nicole, take it. She will teach you about our community, the challenges it faces, and how through cooperation and empathy, change can happen. And she will do it in articulate and thoughtful manner.

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I would like to acknowledge that these interviews took place on Treaty 6 territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis.

YXE Underground is a production of the Salthammer Production Company. My name is Eric Anderson. Thank you so much for listening, and we’ll talk to you soon, Saskatoon.

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis