On a bright winter day last month, my husband and I joined YWCA Toronto and thousands of people marching in Toronto and around the world to support International Women’s Day 2018: #PressforProgress. Buoyed by the growing impact of movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp, we all saw that the time is ripe to get more women […]
The SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch was a reminder that while we can shoot a car into space, we are unable to solve persistent social problems such as pay equity. What a time to be alive! Equal Pay Day, marked this year on April 10, draws attention to what has always been one of the most glaring […]
It used to be that students or workers that missed entering academically driven career paths ended up in the skilled trades. This second choice often carried a subtle – and sometimes not so subtle – stigma of mediocracy and separated potential leaders from perpetual subordinates. It also separated men from women, as women were not […]
YWCA Toronto’s Women of Distinction Awards, now in its 38th year, is an annual event that recognizes the outstanding contributions of women in their communities. Nominated and selected by their peers, Women of Distinction recipients are leaders that have made lasting changes in areas such as pay equity, abortion rights, constitutional reform, gun control, ethical […]
I attended the 2017 Women’s March last year. I was excited to attend and sent a text to my friends inviting them to come along. My group of friends is close-knit and generally supportive. We do not miss birthdays and the whole group attends whenever one of our bands plays a show. When I invited […]
[The following text is adapted from a speech at YWCA Toronto’s December 6 Vigil on the National Day of Action on Violence Against Women, 2017] When Dela asked if I would share a few words, it did not take much convincing for me to say ‘absolutely’. However, the truth is, I have been struggling to […]
It was a day for the YWCA history books. In November, 120 YWCA leaders from coast-to-coast-to-coast participated in the movement’s first-ever advocacy day on Parliament Hill. In meetings with Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament and Senators, we called for a gender lens on the National Housing Strategy that includes a minimum of 25% of funds […]
Meet Kulsoom and Renolla. They are bright, dedicated and ready to take on the world. Kulsoom is currently studying Human Biology at the University of Toronto – Scarborough and was a YWCA Toronto Girls’ Centre participant for 11 years. She was co-chair of the Girls’ Council and is now an alumna of the Centre. This […]
Chances are you know someone working part-time, from contract to contract, or in a low-wage job — and research shows that person is most likely a woman. Across Canada, women account for 70 per cent of part-time employees and 60 per cent of minimum-wage earners. There is a lot at stake for women — and gender […]
It has been a banner year for YWCA Toronto CEO Heather McGregor. In June, she received an Honorary Doctorate in Laws from Ryerson University in recognition of her over 20 years of leadership at YWCA Toronto. Heather’s skill in growing and expanding YWCA programs has improved the lives of women and girls all across our city. […]
