by Staff | Jul 31, 2019 | Business, Diversity
By: Munifa Ahmed.
Endorsement of Diversity and inclusion (D&I) and cultural practices within an organization have increasingly become a critical and important reputable aspect to the success of many businesses, especially in the Tech scene. There has been a lot of research and many other resources on how to adapt, retain and measure the value of D&I.
But based on the World Economic Forum report, the global gender parity is estimated to take 100 years to close that gap in the tech sector, at the current rate of change. This is while gender equality is one of the key determinants of diversity in an organization.
An aspect, I think, that might be under shared, is the actual story of the -nitty gritty- experience and insights of how navigating tech, looks like as a BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of color), visible minority or LGBTQ2A+ person.
So, it is as important to speak about and dive deeper into the experience of actually working in these spaces. In this blog, I will try to share my experience and insights as a young, recent immigrant, Muslim, hijabi woman who is navigating her way to social entrepreneurship in the tech world. As women, people of colour, visible minorities and/or religious groups, what is our role and work in this process of change? Do we lay back and wait for changes to occur?
Having the privilege to represent more than six social labels and breaking through the mainstream biases and narration made based on gender, race and background was not a smooth process. It required high self-awareness, patience and inconsideration in some instances, here are some tips from my experience and research I have done:
- Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable. This is the rule of thumb when it comes to personal and professional development. The same principle applies here, from researching the market to learning new tech skills. Then comes the actual job of job searching. After spending six months researching, I learned to stop feeling comfortable by trying to find people who look like me and kept asking questions when I get stuck (there is no such thing as a stupid question). Nearly half of Tech companies are hiring non-technical skills, so working on your communication, presentation and body language is also valuable. It is okay if you do not code. All these steps require little bit thicker skin, but will help you move towards a rewarding and exciting career.
- Engage with Asking, Questioning and Curiosity. As obvious as it might seem, it is necessary to be proactive in building professional relationships at your workplace and tech network. It could be as simple as trying to understand and engage in a group tech joke (like a Spider makes a website not landing page, lol) to as complex negotiating your unique perspective confidently. Being assertive, flexible, friendly and funny is where the magic happens when it comes to engaging here and in life, generally.
- ALWAYS be a Proactive Learner . There is an Arabic saying, “coming late will not cut the work.” Your presence is already perceived as an unequivocal challenge to the tech sector. And doing the work on our own mindsets is essential in an ever growing and evolving industry. Pivoting from my Administration and Marketing background was a steep turn and most challenging. But that was not all, I realized after graduation that thousands of bootcamp developer graduates are competing for a similar position. So, I decided to utilize my coding skills as a compelling selling feature in a different position which led me to take Veza’s Digital Marketing course. This learning mindset is the key to growth and success in the Tech sector.
- Be YOURSELF. “Connect and Communicate like you’ve known them for 1000 years” – this was my secret recipe while building a network or meeting for an interview. My LinkedIn connections have more doubled since pivoting toward a tech career, nine months ago. This mindset is so powerful when it comes to creating a meaningful connection. From sharing your thoughts to asking for help and from owning your weakness to speaking in public, those are one of the basic principles that guide my decision while interacting with people in general.
All in all, those are insights from my personal experience which has helped me to navigate the sector and successfully land my first job in tech as a Data Analyst and Marketer at the startup Apples & Oranges Analytics. By sharing our experiences, hopefully, we can all contribute to creating a more inclusive culture. As there is overall more interest, policy integration and active participation from the employer side, complementing the movement and progress through sharing our stories will inspire and involve broader communities.
Munifa Ahmed is a recent migrant to Canada in 2017. She is a Spring 2019 graduate of Veza Community’s Digital Marketing Program for Immigrant Women. Through her passion for creativity and personal-development, she had pivoted toward tech and landed her career as a Digital Analyst and Marketer. To learn more about her and her climate action project, visit www.munifaahmed.io.
by Manpreet Dhillon | Jul 4, 2018 | Business, Community, Culture, Diversity, Leadership
At veza, we honour the work of inspiring leaders every single day. Not just the known and notable but rather, everyday women who are drawing upon and celebrating their culture while making a lasting difference in their community using their gifts. From authors and teachers, CEOs to entrepreneurs, not-for-profit directors, artists, and more, these women are changing the face of leadership.
These are truly women to watch and veza community is so pleased to share their brilliance.
May their stories inspire YOU to rise.
Meet Julie Archambault.
Julie grew up in Montreal where her bicultural-linguistic identity was stuck between Anglophone and Francophone communities, which meant she needed to sort out her identity amidst some hostility. As a child, she was very adventurous and loved walking in the woods and following streams all the way to their source, which is interesting to think of today since she’s someone who follows problems all the way to the source of it.
She always want to get to the Truth. Spiritually, she has always been quite open but living in an environment that was mostly concerned with the material items proved to have its challenges for her. Later in life, she would have to relearn to trust her spiritual gifts and not hide them! At one point, she went underground with them. She was passionate about life: a tiger in sports, an introvert that used acting to own her power and voice.
Then, it was the activist years: Julie wanted to change the world so that it would be a more respectful place. She became a teacher for the same reasons. Then, she had to understand why she was having so much trouble getting into healthy relationships. And this proved to be the start of a very deep inquiry about sex. About toxic relationships. About our childhoods. She started interviewing all kinds of people. She also trained as an Akashic Record Consultant since this was the modality that was helping her heal so fast and efficiently.
Then, she birthed “Fifty Shades of Connection: from Violently Disconnected to Blissfully Connected Sex” a book that follows this spectrum and discovers the laws of energy governing sex and our sexual energy. (Almost ready to print) Now, she has launched a business called Co-Creative Sex and has led programs to help her participants heal their sexual energy.
She is just getting her momentum going. She has so much to share on sex; game-changing information is on the horizon!!!
Tell me in 100 words who you are? How would you describe yourself.
I’m a woman on a mission! : ) I believe in helping people reaching their full human and spiritual potential. I have discovered some really powerful insights on how to heal our sexual energy and how this in turn helps us to heal our lives. Nothing like empowering women to embody their full selves, and this includes their sexual energy. Our sexual energy holds the imprint of all our wounding. What an amazing teacher to tune into!
So tell us, Julie: What inspires you most? What motivates you to get up every morning?
I feel motivated to fully embody who I am. I want to fully live into my potential and accomplish my mission on earth! Which keeps on revealing itself to me. Once I got a little fortune on my yogi tea bag. It said, “Without realizing who you are, happiness cannot come to you.” And this is true. This is why I am so motivated to “realize” who I am. And, it is starting to all make sense now! Exciting times!
What is it that you feel that you teach others through how you act/show up each day?
I teach people to connect to their hearts, to their feminine power, to their feelings, to their power. I teach people to release all past traumas so that they can show up fully and shine in their potential. I teach people about vulnerability and deeper connection to their partners or future partners. How to be more visible and speak one’s truth. I help people own their “shit” and “shadow” so that they can move forward in life. I teach people how to go from “violently disconnected to blissfully connected sex” and bring clarity on a whole slew of “loaded” subjects around sexuality. I help people understand what energetic transaction they are participating in and why.
What is one change you’d like to see in the world?
Seeing women fully empowered and walking in their divine light and men supporting them. Expressions of Healthy Sexuality and Healthy Relationships. (I.E. Not accepting to be lured into toxic relationships and sexuality. Empowered to manifest a wholesome, supportive, connective and exciting sexual relationships for themselves.) Helping people embody their power and light.
Which of your contributions to date have given you the greatest sense of pride?
If you know a leader we should feature please invite her to share her story with us here.
by Manpreet Dhillon | Jul 4, 2018 | Business, Community, Culture, Diversity, Leadership
At veza, we honour the work of inspiring leaders every single day. Not just the known and notable but rather, everyday women who are drawing upon and celebrating their culture while making a lasting difference in their community using their gifts. From authors and teachers, CEOs to entrepreneurs, not-for-profit directors, artists, and more, these women are changing the face of leadership.
These are truly women to watch and veza community is so pleased to share their brilliance.
May their stories inspire YOU to rise.
Meet Aimee Sehwoerer.
After founding a worldwide Marketing Consulting firm, Aimee joined Investors Group in 2014. She is a well-known mentor and advocate for financial literacy, featured in magazines and television.
She is passionate in helping clients achieve their financial goals through various areas of financial planning. She builds and maintains strong relationships by delivering short and long term quality sound advice on investment, debt and estate planning issues that we face today, for Canadian families and growing businesses.
Currently enrolled in the Certified Financial Planning programs, while supporting and volunteering with small organizations and various boards and committees.
Aimee is an entrepreneur and civil rights advocate, who is passionate about financial education.
She is a die hard lover of chocolates, novels and adventures!
So tell us, Aimee: What inspires you most? What motivates you to get up every morning?
I find it rewarding to wake up knowing that I will make a difference in someone’s financial life, that will enable them to reach their financial goals and live the life they’ve always wanted. It doesn’t get better that!
What is it that you feel that you teach others through how you act/show up each day?
Discipline and Mindset!
What is one change you’d like to see in the world?
End to any form of abuse and bullying.
Which of your contributions to date have given you the greatest sense of pride?
Partnering up with organizations such as BYOBF, Mompreneurs Canada to discuss about financial challenges and solutions, with simple language, values and goals that resonate with me and many other women’s.
If you know a leader we should feature please invite her to share her story with us here.
by Manpreet Dhillon | Mar 16, 2018 | Business, Community, Culture, Diversity, Leadership
At veza, we honour the work of inspiring leaders every single day. Not just the known and notable but rather, every day women who are drawing upon and celebrating their culture while making a lasting difference in their community using their gifts. From authors and teachers, CEOs to entrepreneurs, not-for-profit directors, artists, and more, these women are changing the face of leadership.
These are truly women to watch and veza community is so pleased to share their brilliance.
May their stories inspire YOU to rise.
Meet Mani Gill.
Mani Gill was born in Ludhiana, India but grew up in England and now lives in Surrey, BC. She has a BBA in Human Resources but found being self-employed a lot more interesting. Mani has over 11 years of experience working in the family business as a Mortgage Broker but has since pursued a career as a Real Estate Agent. The satisfaction of putting a client in the home of their dreams is an extraordinary feeling, and Mani loves to make the process easy and stress-free for her clients.
Working in the family business was great, but over time she felt like she wasn’t being challenged enough for her own growth. Working as a Real Estate Agent gave her the freedom to work hard and be challenged without the security of her family. It was a big step, but one that she’s glad she took. She currently works around Surrey, Langley & White rock areas.
Mani has always been passionate about real estate and is dedicated to helping others through the process of buying or selling a home. She takes time to continually upgrade her knowledge, training, and professional expertise and is up to date on current market trends. More importantly, she takes the time to listen carefully to her clients and to fully understand their wants and requirements.
In addition, she can call on the resources of her entire company and other professionals to assist in any situation that may be presented to her. Mani is dedicated to her clients, loves to work, and is willing to put in the time and effort to get her listings sold. She is committed to her clients’ success!
She has been a volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society for 10 years, and will be starting “Laughter Yoga” in April: she feels that with the daily stress that everyone goes through, this would be a great place to release tension and have a good time.
So tell us, Mani: What inspires you most? What motivates you to get up every morning?
For a few years, I got lost with life because at that time nothing was going the way I wanted it to. But now I realize that there was a reason behind that, which I just couldn’t see at that time. Knowing I have a few close friends and family members who believe in me even when I don’t believe in myself. I am blessed to have some really incredible people in my life who have taught me to live my life on my own terms. My dreams are my biggest motivator because I honestly believe that everyone has the capability to make their dreams come true.
How do you feel that your actions teach or inspire others?
I try to inspire others by showing them inner strength: by doing things that are out of their comfort zone. I didn’t do this myself for the longest time, but I eventually realized there is no growth in your comfort zone. The only way to grow is when you are uncomfortable.
What is one change you’d like to see in the world?
There are so many changes that I would like to see, but one that stands out the most to me is facing your fear instead of running away from it. Fear does not have to be a bad thing—it can be a driving force with which you can move forward.
Have faith in the path you have chosen, and believe in God. There is a bigger purpose for us all here, and it’s up to us to make it happen.
Which of your contributions to date have given you the greatest sense of pride?
My most proud moment up until now is not just one moment: it’s that every moment that I have made a decision for myself to empower myself. Those decisions have made me feel good about myself—inside and out.
Anything else you would like to add?
Please join me when I start up my Laughter Yoga sessions. I am so looking forward to it.
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Mani! Learn more about her work and stay connected via Facebook under Mani Gill – Realtor
These everyday heroes embody the fact that we ALL do amazing things that other people may not know about, simply because these stories aren’t shared publicly.
At veza, our biggest mission is the change that…starting with our weekly #leadersofveza showcase!
If you know a leader we should feature please invite her to share her story with us here.
by Manpreet Dhillon | Feb 28, 2018 | Business, Community, Culture, Diversity, Leadership
This February, all month long, we’re honouring the work of 28 inspiring leaders. Women who are drawing upon and celebrating their culture while making a lasting difference in their community using their gifts. From authors and teachers, CEOs to entrepreneurs, not-for-profit directors, artists, and more, these women are changing the face of leadership.
These are truly women to watch and veza community is so pleased to share their brilliance.
May their stories inspire YOU to rise.
Meet Manpreet Dhillon.
Manpreet is a Certified Personal and Business Coach, and a Certified Human Resources Professional with a Masters in Organizational Management. She brings over 15 years of leadership and community development expertise to the table and her experience spans program development and strategy implementation, Governance and Organizational Management, Small & Medium Business Consulting, and much more.
As sought-after consultant, coach and workshop facilitator, Manpreet has provided leadership, HR and diversity training and strategy for clients like the UN affiliate: Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, City of Vancouver, University of British Columbia, Blenz Coffee, 7-Eleven, and Terramera, as well as a host of tech and biotech companies, Canadian political parties, and non-profit organizations.
Founded to address the diversity gap and to foster inclusion around the boardroom table, Veza Community offers enriching personal and professional development opportunities. These opportunities train and mentor female leaders of various cultural backgrounds to speak up with confidence and contribute their unique vantage point and expertise to create positive change in the entrepreneurial, not-for-profit, government, and corporate sectors they serve.
So tell us, Manpreet: What inspires you most? What motivates you to get up every morning?
Knowing the people I meet or connect with are doing their best, and that I can contribute to the lives of others by making them feel just a little more empowered. I choose to leave this world a better place than what it is now. A world where there is more love and connection than ever before. A world where people lift each other up and support each other to be better.
I have the opportunity to play a role in that.
How do you feel that your actions teach or inspire others?
I teach others to move through the mindset crap to realize we have a bigger purpose here. The gifts that we have are not for ourselves, but to share with the world. It is important to act as a leader, regardless of who you are and what your title is, as the brighter you shine as a leader, you give permission to others to shine as well.
What is one change you’d like to see in the world?
I would like child sexual abuse ended. There are individuals and families impacted by someone’s need to have power over another being. Through the work I do, I would like to empower individuals so they can empower others, therefore eliminating the need to take power from someone else.
Which of your contributions to date have given you the greatest sense of pride?
Having my story “Thriving while Grieving” published in the Chicken Soup for Soul: Time to Thrive edition. I know many people found solace in their grieving journey through that story.
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Manpreet! Learn more about her work and stay connected via her social media presence @vezacommunity
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Ishu Kler is a photographer and Social Media Manager at Veza Global. She currently owns and operates a freelance photography company called Ishu Kler Creative where she specializes in branding, portrait and event photography. Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C., her love and passion for photography led Ishu to travel and live in New Delhi, India, where she obtained her Diploma in Photography. She also travelled to Costa Rica in 2015, where she obtained her Certificate in Documentary Photography from Photographers Without Borders.
Kelsey is a passionate Multimedia Designer & Communications Specialist with a diploma in Multimedia Production and over nine years of diverse design experience in different areas of the world including roles within multinational in-house marketing teams Microsoft and Technetix, marketing agencies and freelance. These experiences have led her to develop strong use of design principles, skills in Adobe Creative Cloud, knowledge in motion graphics and video editing, and knowledge in creating effective communication for a wide range of audiences and cultures.
