From The Publisher: WEST’s “International Women’s Day Gala

We Are Women, Hear Us Roar By Deborah Jones

For the past six years, Biz X has been sponsoring a local event honouring the achievements of women locally and internationally, and this year is no different. On Sunday March 8, 2020 Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor Inc. (WEST), and the world, celebrate “International Women’s Day”(IWD). “WEST has provided services in the community since 1987 and we have been celebrating with an IWD Gala as a fundraising event for 14 years,” notes Rose Anguiano Hurst, Executive Director. “Our event gives us the opportunity to recognize the resilience of the participants that we assist with everyday, who are working to find employment and contribute to the community, and (also to) recognize our community partners and businesses that assist us in achieving our goals.”

The “International Women’s Day Gala” at St. Clair College Centre for the Arts includes a dinner, a keynote speaker, entertainment and an IWD gala boutique where guests can bid on wonderful packages donated by various community partners.

The whole event is designed to acknowledge amazing women in the local community, along with the individuals and community partners who support the pursuit of equality, plus value diversity and inclusion.

The 2020 theme is “An Equal World is an Enabled World”.

Keynote Speaker Samra Zafar is a Governor for the University of Toronto, an International Speaker, Human Rights Activist, Scholar, Author and Social Entrepreneur.

She is pursuing a rewarding corporate career and runs Brave Beginnings, the non-profit organization she founded to support abuse survivors in their journey

to build a life of respect and freedom.

Also, throughout the evening, the “Journey Towards Success” Awards are presented to honour individuals, businesses and organizations in Windsor and Essex County that are invested in helping WEST and its participants achieve their goals, plus occasionally go the extra mile!

The Award categories include: “The Innovation Award”: an individual between the ages of 9 to 25; “The Visionary Award”: an individual who strives for gender equality; “The Phenomenal Woman Award”: a WEST participant (within the last five years); “The Sisterhood Award”: a female that demonstrates passion and perseverance for women’s equality; “The Influencer Award”: an individual who holds value in inclusivity and is active in affecting change; “The Daphne V. Clarke Trailblazer Award”: a partner who is active in breaking barriers and affecting change in Windsor Essex and “The VIP Award — New Business Partner”: a business or organization that has been supporting WEST for a maximum of one year. Tickets for the gala are $90 each. For more information see: WestOfWindsor.com/IWD. Keynote Samra Zafar