Women’s Day Celebration

Stories of resilience and empowerment strike a chord at MPP Anand’s Women’s Day event   

MISSISSAUGA: MPP Deepak Anand hosted International Women’s Day on March 16 to celebrate stories of struggle, triumph and inspiration of women from Mississauga-Malton.   

The event began with the singing of “O Canada” in unison. While addressing the attendees soon after, MPP Anand mentioned the resilience and passion of his wife and daughter, along with several other women he worked closely with, has a huge impact on his thoughts and actions.  

It was followed by an open house discussion, where many women revealed powerful personal stories of overcoming adversity, achieving success in their careers, and taking care of family while bringing a positive change in their communities.   

The event was accompanied by a spread of delicious food, which added to the sense of community and celebration.   

One woman shared her story of being denied a promotion at work despite being qualified, while another spoke about the challenges of caring for her family alone amid her husband’s debilitating illness. Others celebrated their successes achieved through sheer determination, family support, working together and saluted the spirit of sisterhood that held them steady through thick and thin.   

The discussion later shifted to solutions and strategies for working together to uplift women in both personal and professional spaces and creating a world where gender is not topic to be discussed to thrive in career.   

The churn threw up several ideas to increase women’s engagement including adopting a project-based approach for breaking barriers to connect more women, and to engage men as allies. The participants also talked about the importance of mentorship, networking, and support systems in empowering women to reach their full potential.   

It was interesting to see young girls sharing their thoughts about believing in equal opportunity.  The open house adequately underlined the importance of women’s solidarity and support.    

“Women can empower one another and inspire future generations by sharing their stories. I am really thrilled to have hosted such an event. In the coming months, we hope to create a platform to continue this important conversation and build a more inclusive, equitable world for all,” MPP Anand said.    

Many attendees expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to gain valuable insights and inspiration from other women at the event.   

“The gathering gave us a welcoming and safe space to share our stories,” said one participant.    

Another one added, “It is said that if you can bring smile on the face of one person, then your life is worth it. And look how big a family we are here in this room. Today’s gathering is a reminder of the power of women’s voices and the impact we can make when we come together as an extended family.”    

As the evening concluded, those in attendance said they felt heard, supported, and motivated to continue advocating for gender equality.