Events /
Diverse Woman Of Canada
Diversity and inclusion are both fundamental to a more inclusive society, where all Canadians are able to participate and thrive. Canada is home to diverse women with a rich linguistic, ethnic and multicultural diversity. This includes newcomers, immigrants and refugee women of color who have chosen Canada as their home.
The journeys to their settlement are stories of hope, resilience and promise but have recently been marred by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic has impacted Black women and women of colour the most, disrupting their careers and their ability to contribute to the workforce. The pandemic has also shed a spotlight on all inequities and exacerbated the already longstanding systemic barriers through the glare of systemic racism, gender inequalities and related inequities in employment, income, healthcare, housing, family and resources.
Recent research has also found that Black women and women of colour were more likely to be laid off or furloughed, while working mothers were picking up more of the childcare and household responsibilities.Despite these harsh trajectories, these women have time and again triumphed with resilience. Resilience has been interwoven in their journey as they navigate their dreams and aspirations through cultures and social processes, and advocate their rights often governed by gender inequality and everyday discrimination. This is the norm for most racialized women. History is witness to their resilience and perseverance, enduring challenging times while reinforcing their faith in compassion and humanity and keeping hopes alive for a better world.
The recent global movements spotlighting Black Lives Matter have renewed calls for justice, equality and diversity, but there remains a gap in women’s representation in shaping the conversation, sharing their diverse perspectives and inspiring other racialized women. The Diverse Women of Canada event is a testament to the resilience of racialized women and aims to celebrate racialized newcomer, immigrant and refugee women who form an integral demographic in Canada’s population.
The event organized by Skills for Change and supported by the Government of Canada, will bring together 20 women from diverse backgrounds to acknowledge their remarkable journeys highlighting thematic topics on empowerment, leadership, equality, employment, education, entrepreneurship and mental health and wellbeing.
The event will provide a reliable and safe knowledge sharing platform where women will share their authentic stories, be heard, highlight challenges unique to women of colour and build a community that fosters integrated thinking and develops innovative approaches to tackling challenges such as racism, microaggressions in the workplace, systemic bias, discrimination and related inequalities.
The event also provides the chance to build solidarity, seize opportunities to reshape narratives and to rebuild a fairer, more equitable, inclusive and resilient recovery that celebrates Canada’s growing diversity.