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Today we all are taking a moment to recognize the important women in our lives, because it is International Women's Day. International Women's Day (IWD) was started in 1911, and remains an important opportunity to continue to advance women's equality with the day belonging to everyone, everywhere.
This year's theme is Embrace Equity, which the IWD website states "aims to encourage important conversations on Why equal opportunities aren't enough and Why equal isn't always fair. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action."
We connected with several women from various walks of life in the Pembina Valley to get their thoughts on the importance and meaning of International Women's Day:
Barbara Biggar - Co-Chair Nellie McClung Heritage Site in Manitou
One of the most important women in Manitoba's history is Nellie McClung, who led efforts to have women gain the right to vote. On January 28th, 1916 women's received that right, about five years after the first International Women's Day event was held in 1911.
"Nellie McClung is actually a hero amongst us," said Biggar. "When you think she did most of her work, started most of her work, in Manitou and southern Manitoba, we've got lots to be proud of. Not only did she help us, she was instrumental in the fight to help women, most women to win the right to vote in 1916, but she went on 20 years later, and really helped establish women as people in the country constitutionally, so her impact was really monumental, not only in Manitoba, but across the country."
"I think my message is always to young women, which is we stand on the shoulders of women who accomplished a lot before telephones and Internet and social media, but we can each make our our mark in a significant way, however, that is," said Biggar as she shared some final thoughts on March 8th. "If it is being a speaker, or a writer like Nelly was, or if it's participating as a volunteer in your own school, or in your own community, there are any number of ways that each of us, no matter our age can make our mark in society, and so I would just encourage women of all ages to celebrate each other, and to cheer each other as we celebrate international Women's Day."
Morgan Mullin - Hockey coach, Hockey School operator/instructor BORN to PLAY Female Skills and Development Hockey School
Morgan Mullin is a well-known name in community and sports circles in the Pembina Valley. The former NCAA player at the University of Maine, and current teacher, coach, hockey school instructor and volunteer has been a leader in many respects over the years.
"I run an all female hockey school, run by females, and it has been incredible," said Mullin when asked to highlight a moment or two from the past year as a female coach in a sport that is traditionally played mostly by males. "This year we've grown even more, so I've had to open up another slot, but having 70 little girls running around the rink there to play hockey is just it's pretty incredible. It's my favorite week of the year. Like Christmas is close, but I absolutely love hockey camp week, and I always leave that week just feeling amazing about what I've done, what they've done, what my team has done, because it is, like I said, all female working together to inspire these young females."
And what does International Women's Day mean to Mullin?
"That confidence, building everybody up, working together, being more visual in the community, breaking down barriers, breaking down gender roles, that's always been me," she explained. "Being independent is huge for women as well, so I like to inspire that in my players, in my students."
Robyn Wiebe - Former Western School Division trustee, and current reporter with PembinaValleyOnline
Robyn has been intimately involved in the community in many ways over the years, through a variety of roles, including a long-time trustee with Western School Division.
"My grandmothers, both of them, have had strong impacts on who I am, and my Mom, for sure," said Wiebe when asked to reflect on the women who have inspired her. "I could go on for hours about them, but when I think about women outside of that, I think of my first boss, and the the impact she had on my life, and making me not only somebody who could give the correct change, but somebody who could think of myself as a young person who had responsibilities, and could could grow and learn what it was like to be a businesswoman. She taught me a lot. When I moved here, I think of some of the women when I first got married, they came alongside this teary-eyed new bride who knew nothing about cooking or cleaning, and came in and helped me raise my kids, and help me walk through and answer those questions and use their experience to help me learn and grow, and love the people around me. When I moved here, I saw a community that, when they came to a potluck, they brought not just something they pulled out of the cupboard, but it was something they had made with love and care, and all these extra things, and I'm like, 'This is a potluck. Why didn't you just bring some chocolate chip cookies?' But no, you had these cream cheese filled cupcakes, and you had these amazing things people gave when they came together, and It was to love one another, and I learned so much when I first moved here."
And what is Wiebe's message to the teenagers discovering who they are as a human being, to that young woman in high school, about growing within their community and becoming a strong female?
"When I brought up my own kids, I used to say something that my teachers always taught me, 'Eyes on your own paper', and it's when you're looking at somebody else's test, and you're looking at somebody else's life, you're trying to copy the answers, you're not getting the true genuine self," said Wiebe. "So don't put that much pressure on yourself that you have to get the grade somebody else is going to get. Don't sweat the small stuff. Listen to your instincts. We, as women, are given instincts, and where they're all different, and we all have different strengths and abilities and callings and passions, they're all different, and yet they all meld together. When they don't, we still serve a purpose, even when we maybe have totally different value systems than somebody else, but we can still meet, love, cherish, give and build a community that is so diverse, and so well-rounded that if we would just keep our eyes on our own paper, this is just for me as much as everybody else, we become caring, connected people."
Lynda Lambert - Morden Area Foundation Executive Director
The Morden Area Foundation held its annual "Power of the Purse" event this past Saturday, with 110 women gathering to hear presentations by three local charities with specific projects and then donate one-hundred dollars to their charity of choice or allocate portions of the money to each charity as they see fit.
"By yourself, it's hard to do too much, and make too big of an impact," explained Lambert in reflection of the event. "There was actually 110 women that took part this year, so when you get a room full of women and they're on a mission, like look out, it's awesome the impact they can make."