As we kick off International Women’s Day events this week, I can’t help but reflect on the many things that I am grateful for – today, tomorrow, and every day:
- I am grateful to be a woman. ✨
- I am grateful to be a person of colour. ✨
- I am grateful to be a Canadian citizen. ✨
- I am grateful to be a mother. ✨
- I am grateful to be neurologically atypical. ✨
And as I proudly look at my daughters, and try to inspire change that will create equitable opportunities for them – I realize that I do not feel that any of those parts of me are, or ever have been, limiting factors. In fact, all of the characteristics I mentioned above are only part of the mosaic of who I am – the other parts of me like my personality, upbringing, experiences, and my values, are what makes me unique.
So as we celebrate the achievements of the women who have paved the path for us, I am encouraging all women, including my bright and beautiful daughters, to drive your own paths, lead your life your own way, make your mistakes and grow from each of them, and continue to drive the course of history.
The women before us have given us the freedom to carve out a life for ourselves – to be strong and resilient, to respect and be kind to one another, to carry others forward and lift them up if needed.
Our individual journey is such a powerful representation of what we are capable of, and also of what’s to come. So I don’t want my girls to follow in any of our footsteps – I want them to walk their own path and go even further than any of us could have ever dreamed. After all, as Michelle Obama has said, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.
