Saskatchewan entrepreneurs and change makers will be recognized for International Women’s Day this Sunday as part of a Canada-wide campaign to highlight and profile women who have made a difference through the hashtag #BecauseofYou.
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Tina Beaudry-Mellor says International Women’s Day offers an opportunity to elevate and amplify women in our province who are breaking barriers through their example.
“We recognize a few women in our province who are pushing boundaries and expanding the spaces and places where women can be seen and succeed,” Beaudry-Mellor said. “When our girls look out to try to find examples of who they want to be, it is important that they see a range of options available to them and that they are not limited by traditional gender roles.”
This year, we would like to amplify the importance of the following women in achieving that goal:
Shana Pasapa – martial artist originally from Whitebear First Nation and founder and CEO of Power Our Women, which teaches self-defense techniques to women and girls.
Pilots Carly St. Onge and Tammie Kulyk, paramedic Jen Rondeau and flight nurse Crystal Lybeck – who form the first all-female flight crew in the Saskatchewan Air Ambulance’s 73 year history.
Michelle Zatlyn – the co-founder of the web security company Cloudflare who is from Prince Albert and was the first Saskatchewan woman to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
Laura Budd – education co-ordinator with Moose Jaw Pride and advocate for transgender rights.
Ashley Nameth – visually impaired since birth, spokesperson for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and publisher of the blog, Blind Moving On.
Zarqa Nawaz - Regina based author, journalist, speaker and filmmaker who created the CBC series Little Mosque on the Prairie based on her experiences as a Muslim woman in Saskatchewan.
Kim Keller and Lesley Rae-Kelly – farmers and founding members of the Do More Agriculture Foundation, which advocates to erase the stigma around mental health and farm stress for the agricultural community.
Regina born TV and movie actress Tatiana Maslany – the first Canadian women to win an Emmy in a major dramatic category for a Canadian TV series.
“All of these Saskatchewan women, and so many more, are helping fuel the dreams of women and girls in our province through the art of the possible,” Beaudry-Mellor said. “On this International Women’s Day, we are proud to salute all women who boldly lean in to make our province the best place to live, work and raise a family.”
