Reflections as one of 2022's ABM Powerful Women
I am honoured to be acknowledged in this way, particularly at a time when women are experiencing significant detrimental effects of the most recent pandemic. Even powerful women are not immune.
Women
I have witnessed former colleagues, acquaintances, friends and confidantes face and make some really difficult decisions in order to “just keep swimming” in a dark swelling sea with unspoken undercurrents that threaten to shift and undo their carefully crafted and established careers (and professional identities).
The she-cession about which Aja Mason, the executive director of the Yukon Status of Women Council, has undertaken a study to examine what she calls a "shadow pandemic". The immediate and future impacts of which are experienced differently across intersections.
Indeed, multiple and intersecting identities mean a quadruple hit,words in brackets mine:
“The pandemic has disproportionately affected women. But you may not have realized the scope of the hit. It’s extraordinarily significant—a tremendous toll. Women’s experiences at home, their health [& wellbeing (physical, psychological, spiritual, etc.)], their work (& careers) and economic wellbeing have all been negatively affected. And the pandemic has impeded women in the present, but also has negatively affected their futures.”
While we celebrate and appreciate and take a rest, there is also much work still to do. These realities of a shadow pandemic and its quadruple hit are further exacerbated for women of colour, and especially Black women in their multiple and intersecting identities.
Black women
Studies have found that Black Canadians are more likely to get sick from COVID, and that Black communities have significantly higher mortality rates. The pandemic has also been financially devastating to Black and racialized women. Added to this, experiences of anti-Black racism and misogynoir (Dr. Moya Bailey) – the specific and distinct experiences of discrimination faced by Black women – wreak havoc on our mental health.
And yet, amidst all of this, I have received this recognition and award for my work in the past, present and hopefully still to come. Thank you.
I am buoyed by the affirmation of my leadership and influence as seen through the eyes of the person that nominated me.
(And) I am grateful to all with whom I am privileged to work beside in our efforts to tilt the scales in the direction of equity, inclusion, justice and socio-economic wellbeing for all Atlantic Canadians.
It was such a pleasure to share this moment with women in Nova Scotia who I have already formed working and personal relationships with. And I look forward to new bonds formed with other award recipients from across Atlantic Canada with whom I have not yet worked.
FINALLY
I leave you with this poem I composed one morning in my reflections on this moment and in anticipation of a speech, smile. This is what I considered I might say:
I dedicate this to all the powerful women I know
Strong, indomitable (not easily discouraged), stalwart (brave), determined, joyful, fiercely loving
Influential, driven, “difficult”, prevailing, resonant, ever-ready, soft but firm
To those who persisted, resisted, adjusted
And when it is prudent to do so
Also choose to let go!
My grandmother, my mama, my sisters,
My nieces, my cousins, our daughters
To blood relatives and found family
whose power latent or expressed is undeniable
To my friends and
Even to all the women with whom
I did/do not necessarily see eye to eye
Who may not understand
or appreciate the ‘cut of my jib’
But whose power, radiance and light
Does not in any way dim or diminish mine
We are all blooming flowers
In fields, valleys and on mountaintop meadows
Blossoms, colourful and bright for a time;
Before our life’s sunset, and what remains
is our memory as/and legacy
in the lives of those we may never even know we touched.
Embracing our power is a great step in the direction of freedom. For ourselves and others. We all have a measure of power in our ‘enoughness". – Louise Adongo