“Every social change movement goes through ups and downs … we may be in one of those step-back moments, but we’re not going all the way back.”

Although she’s concerned, Tina Tchen’s unique vantage point helps her put things in perspective: Tina served as Assistant to President Obama, Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama, and Executive Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls. She also led the first-ever United State of Women Summit.

You can join us for a rare opportunity to hear Tina’s outlook on leadership, public policy, and empowering women and girls, at the Canadian Women’s Foundation Breakfast events in Toronto and Calgary this October.

Keep reading to find out how she’s continuing to rally for equality, and why she sees a silver lining in the storm clouds.

For Ben Lord, the Making Waves program was a game-changer.

“The program opened my eyes to a lot of things I hadn’t thought about before, like how a lot of relationship problems are about gender.”

He attended the teen healthy relationships program, which received funding from the Canadian Women’s Foundation, when he was a high school student in New Brunswick. Teen healthy relationship programs help participants break down gender stereotypes, recognize the signs of abusive relationships, and practise the skills they need to develop healthy ones.

Although teen healthy relationships programs are offered across Canada, there is a lack of coordinated efforts to link and support these programs.

Through the support of generous donors like Always, we are able help more than 1,000 girls in 44 communities to participate in programs that engage their bodies, minds and spirits.

Vanessa and I are in craft room 2 at Guildford Recreation Centre. We have our Girls Got Game sign on the door so that parents know which room we are in today. There are snacks, table activities and small classroom games ready for the girls, and as they enter the room, we hear laughter, chit-chat, and questions about what we are going to do today, as well as what snacks we’ll be having!

Be bold for change!

That’s the rallying cry of this year’s International Women’s Day – an annual celebration of women’s achievements and a call to action for gender parity.

What’s inspiring us today is that we’re already seeing bold action on gender equality in Canada:

-Late last year, the government announced that civil rights activist Viola Desmond will be the first woman to appear on Canada’s $10 bill, a symbolic but significant recognition of women’s and African Canadians’ contributions to Canada.