3 women of colour we think you should have on your radar
By Shahzia Noorally
A five minute read
We know it's incredibly difficult to stop hustling for your worthiness when role models aren't a plenty. As the great Michelle Obama says, "So many women have a hard time liking themselves because they don't see themselves represented in the norm." Through the past year exploring the experiences of women of colour for the Colour Gap podcast, we’ve come to realize that we’re not alone in our feelings of isolation. The microaggressions that pop up in the day to day navigation of experiences in our workplaces, the lack of representation of other women of colour at the leadership tables, the ways in which mainstream media has continued to position people of colour as the “other” excluding us from access to equitable and fair narratives of ourselves, the list goes on.
So we’re aiming to change the narrative and put the spotlight on some incredible women of colour that we’ve had the honour of adding to our circles of influence that we think you would benefit from knowing too. We truly believe that greatness comes in many forms, but we think it’s best found in the collective spirit of all women knowing their worth, Where worth is easier to discover when you see others in positions of influence and impact that look even just a little like you.
Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi - Educator. Facilitator. Entrepreneur
Through the power of social media, we recently came to know the heart-centered, authentic and awe-inspiring Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi. Golnaz is an educator, facilitator and entrepreneur and more than anything she’s a passionate advocate for the advancement of self-identifying women of colour. She’s the Founder of Divity Group Inc., a consultant and intersectional feminist management scholar and the Founder of Accelerate her Future - a career accelerator program for women of colour in business and technology. On top of all these accolades, she’s a Founding Activator of SheEO and speaker for TEDx. We had the immense pleasure of sitting down with Golnaz in recent conversation for an episode of the podcast where we explored her life's work, her passions and the incredible impact she has made in advancing the conversation around the lived experiences of self-identifying women of colour, work that has gone a far way to ignite real change in this space.
What the conversation left us with most was that there is power in leaning into our strengths as a starting point in thinking about the spaces we deserve to step into, and that the ways in which many of us have been taught to start from a place of deep humility doesn’t always serve us. When we start to see ourselves for the fullness of our identities, our differences become our strengths. Golnaz is someone who we feel blessed to have in our sphere of influence and we hope her insights and wisdom become a part of yours too.
Dr. Saira Sabzaali - Counsellor. Teacher. Storyteller.
I consider myself to be one lucky human who has been able to call Dr. Saira Sabzaali a dear friend since we were only five years old. With Saira, there has always been a deep inner knowing and a sense of self that has made her wise beyond her years and an obvious role model to so many of the women in her life. She has a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology, and is a Canadian Certified Counsellor. On top of all this, she’s a TedX speaker and an Instructor for the Stenberg College counselling therapist diploma program. We had Saira on a recent episode of the podcast where we explored her insights on raising strong, proud and resilient girls of colour. Her perspective as a mom of two, raising incredibly self-aware, spirited and smart kids was refreshing and spoke to the layers and complexities of being a mindful and intentional parent when looking to raise a little girl who is deeply grounded and connected to her roots, along with being aware of how her differences make her uniquely perfect.
Pulling from her own experiences of walking through a world that wasn’t designed to lift her up, Saira says “When I was a little girl, I would look at those blonde-haired, blue-eyed dolls lined up on the shelf at Toys R’ Us with an ache in my heart. That was back before the days they realized little girls with dark skin and black hair may need a doll that looks like them to feel normal. I looked nothing like those perfect, pink dolls, and I wondered how I, too, could feel pretty.” Her advice to moms looking to raise proud and deeply rooted girls of colour? “Mothers, protect those precious little girls, let them know that their beauty will shine even while their bodies change and grow and feel alien to them. Aunts, cousins, be kind to each other. It’s not a contest. There is enough room here for all of us to shine. If we do, it simply makes a brighter, more beautiful world.” We couldn’t agree more and we promise you, if there is one more woman of colour who will shape the way you see yourself and the world, it’s Saira.
Susan Charara - Marketing Strategist, Entrepreneur and Co-Host of the 2nd Floor Podcast
Susan is one of those women that has the power to instantly light up a room with her energy and presence. I had the lucky fortune of meeting Susan a number of years back when we were both Alberta transplants living in Vancouver. Our bond was instant and our sisterhood was felt through our Alberta connection, our deep ties to our individual cultural roots and our relentless drive to make an impact and influence in the world around us. Susan leans deep into everything she does and if you know anything about Susan, it's that great conversation and relationship building are two experiences that light her up most.
Since moving back to Edmonton a few years ago, Susan has become an integral part of the entrepreneurial community actively engaging in opportunities to bring spotlight and connectivity through her Founders and Makers series and her work on the 2nd Floor Podcast.
Conversations with Susan go deep and her impact is felt long after those end. When asked what advice Susan would give her younger self she notes, “DON’T BE AFRAID OF FAILURE and make more mistakes! Because, if you’re making mistakes, it means you’re putting yourself out there and trying new things; it means you’re pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and doing things you’ve never done before, and most importantly it means you’re doing something!” She’s a true change maker, a visionary and someone we hope lands on your radar too.
When we work off the playbooks of those in the majority - people that don’t look, always think, or act or come from similar racialized backgrounds as us, we limit ourselves. We don’t allow ourselves to see the possibilities of a bright future where authenticity and inner knowing are integral parts of the equation. We don’t allow ourselves, as women of colour, to be fully seen, heard and acknowledged and we limit ourselves to chasing after the lives and impact of those that have far more privilege and access than us. When we change the storytellers, when we look to expand the narrative to include dynamic, game changing and trailblazing women of colour like Golnaz, Saira and Susan, we all get more equal access to the playing field and we all ultimately win.