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International Women's Day 2023 Q&A
Happy International Women's Day from CityWest! For this blog, we decided to ask both women and men in our company some questions about the inspirational women in their lives, advice to and from women, and what International Women's Day means to them.
Q. What progress have you seen towards gender equality in your life and work?
A. "Over the course of my life and career, I have witnessed encouraging progress towards gender equality. Specifically, I have observed more and more women attaining leadership positions and the implementation of flexible work arrangements such as work from home that benefit both men and women by allowing them to balance work and family responsibilities. Additionally, the use of gender-neutral language and inclusive practices is becoming more prevalent in more and more industries. On a personal note, I am committed to promoting gender equality in my interactions with others and supporting policies and initiatives that promote gender equity."
Umer, TSR Supervisor
Q. What is the best advice you've ever been given?
A. "My mom told me one time when I was being mean to her as a little girl that I should always do unto others as I would have others do unto me. I didn't really understand what she meant so she clarified for me; before you say or do anything to someone, ask yourself if you would feel good if they did that same thing to you. I try to live by that."
Nikki, Customer Service Representative
Q. Who would you say has been the main female influence in your life?
A. "Tough Question. The easy answer would be my mom. Who isn't influenced by their mom? She is there during your impressionable early years. My mom was a staunch Women’s libber and Union Activist as I was growing up. This instilled a definite feeling in our home that gender had no role in what people were capable of doing.
On the other hand, my Wife has been a huge influence in my life. She is always able to accomplish any task she sets out to achieve. She is not afraid to get messy when tackling something, good or bad. She sees things through to completion. She demonstrates no fear in attempting something new or having to talk to someone. With this example she Inspires confidence in me to accomplish most of the things that I have done in my life since meeting her. She encourages and supports me as well as our children with anything that we attempt to do with our lives. I am usually asking her for assistance in getting things arranged or completed. Not sure where I would be in my life now without having met and married my wife. I know my path would have been significantly different."
Paul, IP Telephone Manager
Q. What advice can you give to women trying to further their careers?
A. "My advice is to build a network of people and use it. Embrace change and grow with consistent training. I am very fortunate to have a core network of folks who aid my growth in telecommunications. Technicians and mentors who have taken the time to teach me how our services are built and delivered. Team members challenging the status quo, working to improve efficiencies and spark the love for change."
Norelle, Sales Manager
Q. Who is one woman that has inspired you the most, and why?
A."My grandmother has inspired me the most.
Navigating a foreign lifestyle and language in Canada, my grandmother persevered through many of life's challenges with her head held high and constantly with a smile.
After losing siblings on the ship crossing from Japan to Canada, she showed significant grit and determination by raising four children essentially on her own, all while her husband was constantly commercial fishing out on the high seas. I find it amazing that she did this all with her limited English ability and in an unfamiliar culture and environment. Yet over the years of living here she made uncountable friends and became the unofficial matriarch to many Japanese immigrants, family, and visitors to the North coast BC region. Even today I run into people who remember her fondly and miss her as I do. She even received the Queens Jubilee Medal for her significant contributions and achievements in Canada!
She inspired me to be the determined person I am today, to learn Japanese, and to live and work in Japan for three years. During that time, it was amazing to be able to speak and write to her in her native language before her passing, albeit at my own Japanese primary school level."
Aaron, Network Analyst
Q. What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
A. "What does International Women’s Day mean to me? To me, it's just another day to celebrate the achievements of women as a whole. A day to focus and reflect on the inequalities we have endured in the past while we look forward to the growth and progress that we continue to make every day. International Women’s Day is definitely a day of recognition to see how far women have come in society, and to prepare for how far we have left to go."
Jenna, Marketing Specialist
International Women's Day is primarily celebrated and known around the globe as a day to show your support for women's equality, empowerment, and accomplishments. CityWest takes this day in addition to all others, to focus on and recognize how far women have come and all that they have achieved. It's a day that we get to acknowledge and appreciate the strong capabilities of women and show that we stand for women's equality in all aspects of society.