Daniela Gonzalez Vega, a senior Peer Mentor at Humber, celebrated her first International Women’s Day. She was in charge of a refreshments table at the Lakeshore campus event on March 7, but the event was momentous for her.
“Where I’m from we don’t celebrate International Women’s Day because for us it’s more of a day to commemorate,” said Vega, a 22-year-old creative writing undergraduate and poet from Mexico.
A photo of Daniela Gonzalez Vega, a Senior Peer Mentor at Humber. Vega was overseeing one of the beverage table at the event. Photo credit: Krishna Bhagnathsingh
“I think for Humber, it inspires inclusion and that we are all the same and that there’s always a place for women,” the marketing communications student said.
First-Year Experience (FYE) hosted the International Women’s Day celebration in the G Building of the Lakeshore campus. It included various activities, such as aroma therapy, nail painting and button-making, and a table where students could borrow books and enjoy refreshments.
A photo of Emily Ellazar, a Senior Peer Mentor at Humber. Ellazar was in charge of the nail painting table and help people at the event paint their nails. Photo credit: Krishna Bhagnathsingh
Emily Ellazar, another Senior Peer Mentor at Humber, was in attendance and was in charge of the nail painting table.
“For me, International Women’s Day is about empowering women around the world and showcasing that we have talent and just appreciating women,” Ellazar said.
“For the Humber community and students, it’s a great way to showcase fun things, like self-care, learn about the history of why there is an International Women’s Day,” she said.
Ellazar said the message this event is trying to send is to love yourself and remember why women are important.
“As a Senior Peer Mentor, I’m constantly helping students and while doing that, I’m also empowering them with a message at the end of the day that if I can do it, you can do it as well,” Ellazar said. “It’s just positive vibes I’d say.”
A photo of Mary Goral, a Library Technician at Humber Libraries. Goral was overseeing the book table, which displayed books written by women authors. Photo credit: Krishna Bhagnathsingh
Mary Goral, a Library Technician at the Lakeshore campus library, was in charge of the book table, which displayed books written by women that students could borrow.
“Being a woman, knowing that it’s difficult to make equivalent to a man, not that it’s absolutely necessary but it’s becoming more and more so in our society today,” Goral said.
“Education is important so, it’s equally important for men and women and I think it’s good for women to strive, dream big, follow those dreams, be ambitious and go places,” she said.
Goral said women should have a voice, women can write and should keep writing when asked about how important women are in writing books.
“It plays a big role here,” Goral said. “It’s very important to the whole community.”
Alongside fun activities, a panel with both First-Year Experience (FYE) coordinators and other Humber faculty answered Women’s Day-related questions.
A photo of Maria Mendoza Camba, the Lead Strategist of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at EY Canada. Camba performed at keynote speech and was part of a panel discussion at the event. Photo credit: Krishna Bhagnathsingh
Among those, Maria Mendoza Camba, the Lead Strategist for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at EY Canada, a financial services firm, gave a keynote speech about the significance of IWD and joined a panel discussion.
“International Women’s Day is very important to me because I’m a very big advocate for gender equity,” Camba said. “My intent is always to kind of break those barriers and pave the way for other women to have spaces for themselves so that they can thrive and feel empowered.”
Camba said she is a mother of a seven-year-old daughter, which forms the way she advocates for other women.
“For me, it’s very important to create spaces that celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of women,” Camba said. “This should not be siloed into International Women’s Day, this should always be every day,”
Camba said moments like this remind people of the types of contributions that are provided by women.
“But it also brings together women and reminds them that they have to lean in each other in order to kind of move the needle into the equitable space,” Camba said.
“Be kind [to yourself]…and lean on each other,” she said. “Make an intentional practice of creating space for other women to feel empowered.”
Camba said the way one talks to oneself impacts the way one moves.
“If you’re telling yourself you’re not good enough, it’s going to [bleed] into anything you’re doing,” Camba said.
The North campus is set to hold an International Women’s Day celebration event on Wednesday.