“Never give up,” says Saara Chaudry, star of The Breadwinner
Saara Chaudry is young but she’s not afraid to speak [...]
Hailey and Nikki: Building Life-Long Confidence through Mentorship
This is the seventh post in the Confidence Stories series in partnership with Always®. Confidence Stories feature stories, tips and ideas to support girls, build their confidence, and encourage them to Keep Going #LikeAGirl.
Nikki met her mentor Hailey at a Boys and Girls Club of Hamilton program that partners mentors with girls to encourage their interest in physical activity and team sports (MacMentors and On the Move Girls). Their relationship has grown ever since, and they both have thoughts on why sports are key to fueling girls’ confidence. The Boys and Girls Club of Hamilton is a past recipient of funding from the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s Girls’ Fund.
Village Bloggurls: The Male Gaze and the Media
The Village Bloggurls program is a weekly girls' leadership, media literacy and production program in Lotherton Village and Westminster- Branson. The core program provides girls in two communities with creative opportunities to address issues including systemic violence, representation of women in the media, and societal expectations. Activities like writing a blog, producing a zine, and social media posts provide a platform for expression, reflection, connection, and support.
The Bloggurls were recipients of the 2014 Landsberg Community Award and are current grantees of the Canadian Women’s Foundation through North York Community House – they’ve received a grant of $160,000 over 4 years (2016-2020).
The following post is from a zine the group produced called Re-Imagining: The Future. In the zine the girls tackle some tough questions, including “What does a world without street harassment look like?” and “How can we address mental health in schools?” You can read more of their work on their website.
Why I’ve Spent my Life Dedicated to Women and Girls – and Why You Should do the Same
I was 11 years old when I lost my self-esteem.
I had just moved to Canada from Jamaica. Struggling with culture shock and a new school – not to mention the uncertainty of pre-teen girlhood – I desperately needed a mentor, a strong role model who believed in me. Instead, my teacher at the time decided that I was neither bright, nor capable.
The damage to my self-esteem from that judgment has taken a lifetime to overcome – to remember who I am, and what I can do.
Yet I’m thankful for that experience because it ignited a life-long passion for social justice and advocating for the rights of women and girls.
