This post was originally published on the Coady International Institute’s blog.
Sultana Jahangir has seen too many educated women lose their dreams. It’s why the Bangladeshi-born founder of the South Asian Women’s Rights Organization (SAWRO) in Toronto is laser-focused when persuading politicians and bureaucrats to do the right thing.
“Two out of three women who use our services have a master's degree, but have trouble finding work,” she says.
Does the idea of putting yourself first seem radical? Does your inner voice say: “That’s selfish!”
In my work with women who run community economic development and non-profit organizations, I hear a lot about the struggle to find time for self-care and to set healthy personal/professional boundaries.
There are entrenched social norms that say women should put others first. We’re not always rewarded for being assertive, and we’re not socialized to take leisure time. Self-care is even harder for women in particular situations. For example, single working moms usually can't afford to pay someone to take care of their kids so they can take some personal time.
This profile was originally published on the Coady International Institute’s website.
For Katherine Alexander, seeking justice for women in the prison system is more than a work obligation.
Alexander, executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society in Whitehorse, was one of 24 women chosen for the 2015 Canadian Women’s Foundation Leadership Institute at Coady.
Spending at least one day a week at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre and once a month at the Abbotsford Institution, she works to build relationships with the incarcerated women. She advises them of their rights, helping to amplify their voices both inside and outside of the prison. She also works with other women’s services in the territory that help inmates transition back into the community.
This profile was originally published on the Coady International Institute’s website.
For Hillary Aitken, a graduate of the Canadian Women’s Foundation Leadership Institute at the Coady International Institute, co-managing the Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre (VFWC) in Whitehorse while raising a bubbly and bright two year old are keeping her very busy, but she is ready for her next foray into a post-secondary program. Aitken says her experience working through the Leadership Institute helped position her for a masters degree in community development. She has applied to the program in Victoria, B.C. and we have no doubt she will approach this next endeavor with the same commitment and skill as she did in her time with the Coady Institute.
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