Community Spotlight: Vania Chan

March 8, 2021

This International Women’s Day 2021, we decided to connect with inspiring women championing inclusion at UBC to hear their reflections on this day and perspectives on a more equitable and inclusive future.

she/her/hers
E-Learning Instructional Support Specialist
Centre for Teaching and Learning

What does IWD mean to you?
It’s a day to celebrate achievements of women, while also recognizing the challenges that remain and lie ahead.

What are some challenges around women in tech roles and women in STEM?Lingering gender role stereotypes or assumptions in tech/STEM culture can lead to workplaces being unhealthy or toxic for women. It’s not limited to tech and engineering companies, but there’s certainly high profile cases as well as personal ones friends and close contacts talk about. It’s easy to say that women in tech don’t fit in or have less time to build camaraderie/relationships because of family responsibilities. It’s a lot harder to make impactful systemic changes that make the workplace welcoming to all, and therefore healthy and sustainable.

How did you navigate through COVID and how has it changed the course of your work?
One positive is that the world opened up for me. I am now able to join communities in other cities. Before COVID-19 it wasn’t feasible to travel to another city to join a one hour meeting. Working remotely has allowed me to find more people dedicated and passionate about things important to me.

What is the one idea you want to challenge this IWD?
The commercialization of IWD makes me concerned that people will see the day as trivial. Flowers and cards are nice, but let’s not forget why the day is important. Give a shout-out to someone who deserves recognition (chances are she’s not giving herself enough kudos!), support a female-led business, learn about trailblazer or a cause that needs attention.

One self-care tip that worked for you during these challenging times.
Creating a clear separation between home and work life. I close my laptop, turn off the screen, put my notebooks away. A lot of my life is in my living room now – work, leisure, exercise. Some kind of visual separation is needed for me.

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Community Spotlight: Naznin Virji Babul

March 8, 2021

Associate Professor,
Senior Advisor to the Provost on Women and Gender-Diverse Faculty
Medicine | Physical Therapy | Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health

What does IWD mean to you?
One of this year’s theme’s for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021 is “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”. I am extremely proud and honoured to be given the opportunity to serve as Senior Advisor to the Provost on Women and Gender-Diverse faculty during the COVID-19 year and as we approach the post COVID-19 world.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus brought about unprecedented challenges for all UBC faculty. We now recognize that early career researchers – particularly women (cisgender and transgender) and women of colour and especially those who have caregiving responsibilities, have been disproportionately impacted by the effect of the pandemic. Through this role, I believe I was able to play a small part in being in a position to listen to the needs of the UBC community and more importantly, to respond with innovative initiatives that are in line with the broader University wide initiatives.

What is your vision as senior advisor and what do you hope to implement in the future to better the current situation?
My overall vision for this COVID-19 year is:
(1) to give voice (using both quantitative data and stories from diverse women) to the deep and long-lasting effects of the disruption that the pandemic has created on all aspects of academic and personal lives, on women and
(2) to create novel initiatives to begin the process of re-building community and create structural and functional changes at UBC.
There are two initiatives in particular that I would love to highlight:
The first is a program that was created as a direct response to the effects of the pandemic on women. The program is called: Maximizing Impact: Navigating Uncertainty and Complexity in the time of COVID. Over 30 diverse, early career researchers (ECR) and faculty from across the university have joined this program which provides networking opportunities, lunchtime talks by senior faculty across campus and 1:1 leadership coaching. I have been blown away by the responses from the senior faculty and the emeriti faculty who have stepped up to volunteer their time to support and mentor the junior faculty. The leadership coaching team has been fantastic in matching the cohort with the coaches and the response from the coaches who have also stepped up to volunteer their time and expertise to work with the junior faculty has been unbelievable! My own experience of coaching (with my coach Dee Dee Sung) has been absolutely indispensable in helping me to sharpen my focus, actualize my vision and by learning to use my own voice to speak clearly and passionately about issues and creating new ways of thinking about bringing about change.
The second project is called Envisioning Equality: Using UBC’s public realm as a canvas to celebrate women and gender-diverse faculty and staff at UBC.
Women faculty and staff members at UBC have been making significant contributions to the institution for over a century. To celebrate the contributions that women and gender-diverse faculty and staff have made locally, nationally, and internationally, this outdoor art project will harness the transformative power of art in outdoor spaces to highlight these incredible members of the UBC community and catalyze new perspectives about their roles and contributions. I have a fantastic team that is providing guidance, direction and creativity. We are working with UBC administration and leadership who are supporting this project financially and with since commitment.
This is an example of how we hope to create structural change to highlight the impact of women on campus.

What is the one thing/norm/idea you want to challenge this IWD?
I don’t think there is one thing that I can name that I would like to challenge. Shifting mindsets and creating culture change is slow and layered with multiple complexities. We need to work from the grassroots to the top, top-down and consider all the complexities in between.

One self care/destress tip that worked for you during these challenging times.
I make sure to exercise regularly by running or bicycling and when I have time I love to sculpt in clay. I created this piece (picture below) just at the start of the pandemic called “The Last Kiss”. I have been working on refining this piece during the pandemic.

(The Last Kiss)

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Community Spotlight: Nancy Mckenzie

March 8, 2021

Chair, UBC Board of Governors

What does IWD mean to you?

For me, IWD is a time to reflect on progress that has been made in women’s independence, health and equity, and at the same time, recognize that there is much more to be done both locally and globally in support of women’s rights.

What has been your experience navigating work through COVID?

I was very fortunate that my work easily transitioned to an online environment, and that I had an established home office to work from. I know many are not in this situation and that COVID-19 has highlighted great inequities for many women, particularly IBPOC women and women with disabilities. It is important for us to leverage what COVID-19 has revealed and to use this opportunity to identify and create real and permanent solutions to these inequities.

Could you briefly discuss some of your work at the 2019 BC Women’s Health Foundation GLOW Gala committee.

My role was working alongside some amazing women on the gala fundraising committee, specifically with sourcing unique items for the charity auction. In 2019, the proceeds went to support expansion of the Provincial Milk Bank to support the tiniest babies in neonatal ICUs with donor milk to help them to become strong and fight infection. It was very emotional to hear and understand stories from mothers about the milk bank, from both donors and recipients. Through my engagement with BC Women’s Health Foundation I also learned a lot about the inequities in the health care of women that need much more attention, such as ensuring representation in clinical trials.

How can we help give back to the society through volunteerism?

I think that everyone has something that they can contribute. Volunteerism is such an important but misunderstood foundation of our society. Without volunteers, so many non-profit organizations would simply not be able to function. I think the key is to find something that resonates with you, so that your passion can come through to help create positive energy and contribution to whatever organizations you choose to support. I have always found that as much work as you put in, you get so much more in return from knowing you have made a contribution to an important cause. I have also met some incredibly passionate volunteers who are just so much fun to be around and to collaborate with.

What is the one idea you want to challenge this IWD?

Sadly, I think in many places there still persists notions that women are lesser than, or that they are in positions to meet a diversity quota. There are so many wonderfully talented women contributing in every possible part of society.

I love that one of this year’s theme is “Choose to Challenge” meaning that we all call out and stand up when we see gender bias and inequity happening, and that we recognize and celebrate the achievements of women around us. We have seen the power of women standing together, and the more that we do so and support one another, the stronger we will all become.

Please share one self- care tip that worked for you during these challenging times.

One thing that always works for me is getting out into nature. It has been a way to achieve both physical and mental wellness.
I love to hike, walk or run outdoors, and in Vancouver we are fortunate to be near many beautiful hiking trails. Taking a long walk or hike with close women friends (when it has been allowed) has also been one of my primary ways of staying balanced and sane through the pandemic!

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Community Spotlight: Ananya Mukherjee Reed

March 8, 2021

Provost and Vice-President Academic, University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan
Co-executive lead for Anti-racism, UBC
Professor, Department of Economics, Philosophy and Political Science

What does IWD mean to you?
It serves as a reminder of the invincibility of the human spirit.

Can you tells us a little bit about your leadership role as the Provost and Vice-President Academic?
As Provost my mandate is to advance the mission of the university which is to “pursue excellence in research, learning and engagement to foster global citizenship and advance a sustainable and just society across British Columbia, Canada and the world”. As a key member of the leadership team of UBC Okanagan, my priority is the implementation of Outlook 2040, a bold vision for academic excellence, global recognition and social inclusion, including the campus’ response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
President Ono has recently appointed me and Ainsley Carry, VP Students, as executive co-leads for UBC’s anti-racism initiatives. I am deeply humbled by this appointment.
The recent discussions on systemic injustice have challenged universities to look at how we operate as institutions, how we teach, how we serve the next generation and how we conduct research. Being in a provost role in a leading university gives me a space that is very valuable to me. I am keen to seize this space and create a sense of possibility, hope and empowerment amongst those who feel they cannot realize their potential because of their identity and/or socio-economic standing.
I see a lot of hope in our students. I really admire the younger generation in the way they are taking up these issues. They’re bold, vocalizing their difficult lived experience, demanding change, articulating where the gaps are. Being vocal is difficult. It requires us to make ourselves vulnerable. But they are doing it consistently, helping all of us to find our voices and tell our stories.
My hope is to use the space I have to support this momentum for transformative change.

You have gained so many vast and diverse experiences over time. What is the one piece of advice you’d like to leave our audience with?
We are always fighting a contradiction between our inner voices, which asks us to be bold, and the voice of society at large, which tells us to be cautious.
This is a struggle a lot of people – particularly those who face systemic barriers – have. And I’ve learned that it cannot be resolved. The first thing is to acknowledge that it’s not going to go away. Seek out people who understand you, who support you and who can tell you how to confront challenges as they arise. But every time you find a way forward, you become stronger as a person, even if that sometimes means that you have “lost” in some way. That only prepares you for a tougher fight the next time.

What is the one idea you want to challenge this IWD?
I want to challenge the idea that inequality “just happens’. Inequality in all its forms is made by us and therefore can be unmade.

Please share a self-care tip with our readers.
Speak. Our voice matters.

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Community Spotlight: Paula Littlejohn

March 8, 2021

PhD Candidate | Finlay Lab
Microbiology & Immunology

What does IWD mean to you?

IWD is a day to celebrate and amplify the voices and successes of women worldwide.

Did you struggle at all to find a community here at UBC?

Representation matters.

“to be simultaneously intellectually invisible and physically visible is the unceasing plight of the Black woman in STEM”–Paula Littlejohn

Not seeing Black Female Professors or Black females in Senior Leadership has been a struggle for me. While I feel very well supported at UBC, there is something to seeing someone who looks like you especially when it comes to seeing what is also possible to achieve and to get wisdom for the road ahead. It’s also essential to have such persons when dealing with issues related to race and gender.

Have you taken any initiatives to help come up with a solution to the above problem?

I am part of a planning committee at UBC to help organize a speaker series that addresses the underrepresentation of Blacks in the academy on various levels. I am also the co-founder of a newly formed non-profit focused on bridging the gap between high school and university for underrepresented youths in STEM. I am also an active participant in the “Black in X” movement that was amplified the summer of 2020.

How can we ensure greater gender equality within a university setting?

I think we have to always be moving forward—the better days (of racial and gender equality) are still ahead. Look for ways you can be a bridge and not a roadblock. Finally, emancipate yourself from the notion that “there’s not enough seats at the table”, and instead re-imagine those seats. What could those seats really look like if more people were involved in creating them.

What is your one self- care tip?

Prayer is crucial to my life. I’ve also been learning how to pivot which has helped me find my community. Because I couldn’t find the community I was looking for, I determined two things, first, to be a part of the change I desired to see, hence the Speaker Series mentioned above. Secondly, redefine spaces of “community.” They exist somewhere, you just have to find them. My virtual community of scientists who look like me has been one of the best parts of 2020 and 2021. They taught me to embrace that my p-(Paula) value is < 0.05.

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Community Spotlight: Rohene Bouajram

March 8, 2021

she/her/hers
Associate Director, Strategic IBPOC Initiatives
Office of the Vice-President, Students

What does IWD mean to you?
It’s a moment to take stock of the incredible women in my life – my powerful ancestors who are an integral part of me, the dynamic women around the world who continue to inspire and female friends, family and colleagues who influence how I show up each and every day. IWD celebrates the achievement and impact of women. It is an important day of joy and reflection in how far we have collectively come and how far we will continue to go, together, in co-creating a gender equal world.

You’re recently been appointed to the role of an associate director for IBPOC initiatives for students. What does that entail?
In this role, I get to strategically consider how initiatives, programming and services can have a positive impact on the student experience, particularly IBPOC students at UBC. It’s a new role which allows for creativity and collaboration by drawing from the lens of equity, inclusion and anti-racism. The role also signals an ongoing commitment to recognizing how important students have and will always be to the institution and continuing to have them at the core of what we do is very important.

What are the different ways we can help be better allies to IBPOC students?
Accept and value lived experiences while giving a voice to them. When inviting IBPOC students to give voice to their experiences, come with an openness to really listen, not to tell them what you know or offer your opinion. It takes a lot of courage to be an ally because once you see what you have not seen, your commitment is cemented to change the unseen.

What role can universities play in advancing gender equality?
Universities can consider the intersectionality between gender and race. Not all women experience the same level of inequality; therefore, a critical examination and implementation of what is needed for different women to advance would be a healthy approach as opposed to painting all women with the same brush.

What is the one thing you want to challenge this IWD?
To disrupt the “because it has always been that way”. One of this year’s IWD themes is #ChooseToChallenge and it requires strength and courage to ask why, for whom, and who have we excluded? It’s my hope that we continue to challenge the status quo to deepen meaningful inclusion, belonging and joy for all women.

What’s your one self-care tip?
Learning to set boundaries with my relationships, energy and time has been crucial, especially when the separation between work and home has dramatically shifted as a result of working remotely. I don’t always get it right but when I do, I am energized, healthy and more aligned.

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Community Spotlight: Shirley Chau

March 8, 2021

she/her/hers
they/them/theirs
Associate Professor, School of Social Work, UBC Okanagan

What does IWD mean to you?
As a university professor, International Women’s Day reminds me of the significant importance for all girls and women to have equal access to education and pathways to complete their education. This means dismantling the structures that create and sustain inequality for girls and women, and their human right to equity in accessing school supplies, safe and healthy spaces and supportive communities for learning, and access to mentorship throughout the life course.

Can you tell us a bit about your research on social marginalization due to race, ethnicity and other factors?
This is only one of several areas in my program of research on social marginalization and the impacts on access to social services and health care. My work in this area was guided by my own and the witnessing of other racialized people’s frequent and repeated experiences of having their daily lives interfered with and imposed upon by others who do not or choose not to understand that racialized people are human beings with feelings, intelligence, and futures. The importance and implications of this work and the gifts of wisdom I have gained from bearing witness as a researcher, a person, and a racialized woman is to share insights from research and work already done by Indigenous, Black, and racialized women to the forefront from developing the research question and methodologies, to the analysis of women’s experiences from their point of view and contexts. There are many stories that need to be heard in complete forms and voices.

What has your own journey to leadership like?
My journey began in graduate school where courageous Indigenous and Black women students were doing the work of challenging the colonial dominant narratives about Indigenous, Black, and racialized people and communities in the theories and practice frameworks we were asked to study. I was and am still blessed with mentors who stay in my life such as professors, educators, friends and colleagues, students, who would step into my life at key moments to guide my way to step into leadership roles to do the work. My quest is to pay it forward so that other women become leaders in their own right to continue to lift others up especially when no one is looking.

How can social work be used to help bring about good outcomes in society?
Intersectional anti-racist practice is the new normal that benefits all people when done right. More than ever, social work needs to deeply engage with meaningful antiracist practices. This includes antiracist thinking in how policies are developed and designed because they translate into how people see and do things. Moving forward and learning from the lessons of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown how systemic racism harms Indigenous, Black, and racialized peoples and communities near and far, including in local neighbourhoods with racially targeted violence that often goes unnoticed or minimized.
Social work is also in the perfect spot to do the work at multiple systems to support all women because the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected every area of life, and that women with their multiple roles and responsibilities need consistent support through social service programs and social policies to fill the gaps in for example, child care, elder care, health care, and reproductive health.

How do you plan to challenge current norms and support the intent behind this IWD?
I will support and promote women’s achievements.

What’s your one self-care tip to other women?
That’s easy during the COVID-19 pandemic: unplug from the screens and do something helpful for others (while physically distancing).

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Community Spotlight: Hannah Kia

March 8, 2021

she/her
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work

What does IWD mean to you?
As a scholar, social worker, and a trans woman, the International Women’s Day is for me about remembering that lived experiences of womanhood and gender diversity are rich sources of knowledge, and remarkable catalysts for connecting, building solidarity, and promoting equity and social justice. IWD is also an opportunity for me to reflect on the many women, in particular, who have contributed so much to my growth and development as a researcher, practitioner, and human, including those in my scholarly and professional life, as well as those in my family of origin and families of choice.

How do you reflect on your research on sexual and gender minority (SGM) in relation to IWD?
My research broadly centres questions related to sexual and gender minority (SGM) health, social work and other professional practice with SGM communities, as well as aging in SGM populations. Many who identify as SGM are also women, and/or are in some way affected by profound inequities related to gender. Examining and addressing these questions is very important when we begin imagining and working our way to a fairer and better world for all who feel that International Women’s Day in some way honours their voices, hopes, and aspirations.

How does social work help in betterment of women, trans, and gender diverse people in the society?
Social justice is a central tenet that shapes social work scholarship and practice. In light of the significant inequities related to gender that unfortunately continue shaping the social conditions and experiences of women (cis and trans), along with those of trans, non-binary, and Two-Spirit people and communities, I believe social work scholars and practitioners can draw on their commitment to social justice to stand in solidarity and mobilize with these groups on evolving human rights issues they identify as being most salient.
Although the profession does have a troubled history in reinforcing the oppression of many marginalized communities, including (among many others) Indigenous and racialized women, I do believe we can reflect on this history critically so that we can learn from our past and transform our discipline and profession as we move forward.

What is the one thing/idea you want to challenge this IWD?
This is a very difficult question for me to answer! Though this might not come across as a challenge, I do hope all of us who are coming together to celebrate International Women’s Day take into account the rich complexity, diversity, and intersectionality of the issues and experiences of women (cis and trans), as well as all others who feel represented by IWD, when we use this day to mobilize against and resist the array of gender-based inequities experienced among those in these groups.

If you were to share a self-care tip for other women, what would it be?
For me, the best self-care strategy – one that most strongly corresponds with what International Women’s Day means to me – has been to connect with women I deeply admire and respect, including my 90 year-old grandmother who is among my closest allies, and a mentor whose combined wisdom and humility guides much of my life and work.

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