Jan Damery introduced Sue Tomney, CEO of YWCA. YW is an organization with long roots and history. YW Calgary is the largest and longest serving women’s organization in Calgary, even longer than Rotary in Calgary with 104 years. YW has touched tens of thousands of lives and continually evolves to meet the changing needs of women in the community.
Sue shared information on the initative “She who dares”. It celebrates selected women include Rotarians such as Eva Friesen. Eva was sitting with us today.
Background of “she who dares” (from YW website)
What is the project?
A one-of-a-kind interactive and creative installation which encourages the audience to discover the impacts made by women in our community. Audiences are invited to explore and uncover the stories of 150 incredible women.
Why does the project matter?
Women have always impacted history, but not all their stories have been told. YW’s She Who Dares is a one-of-a-kind project for the Calgary community centring on sharing women’s history from before confederation to today. The project celebrates Canada’s sesquicentennial by highlighting and celebrating women. It’s matters because many women’s impact on history came during a time where women were discouraged from stepping outside their limited roles.
How are the women organized?
The installation outlines where 150 extraordinary women fit and when they had the greatest impact on our community. The categories show one of many ways to group these women, showing their connections and significant areas of impact.
How were the women selected?
YW invited a group of women from outside of the organization to help us generate ideas and ultimately nominate and support selection. The committee helped us think through how we would respect contributions of women beyond the 150 years of Confederation and developed 150+ concept. YW hosted a public call for nominations which began in April 2017, there were posters in community centres/coffee shops, tent cards & bookmarks at libraries, digital call out & webpage to submit.
After the month long nomination campaign, YW had its list and now needed to select the 150 women to be celebrated – again with help from the committee. Some goals of the selection process were to demonstrate the diverse history of Calgary; identify pioneers who took first steps for women and who had connections to YW (106 of the 150 years). YW knows some women have been missed – in the end there are 152 women (one group of three who could not be separated).
YW stands for these:
- A CATALYST to a city sensitive and responsive to the real needs of women.
- A LEADER in ending family violence, homelessness and poverty.
- A WORKPLACE of choice for people committed to measurable impact.
Franco Savoia thanks our speaker Sue Tomney