Paul Taylor is an anti-poverty activist, teacher at Simon Fraser University and has led four nonprofit organizations, including FoodShare Toronto, where he was the Executive Director from 2017-2023. He ran to be Member of Parliament in the federal riding of Parkdale-High Park in 2019 and again in 2021, when he lost by a mere 1,700 votes.

He has written several op-eds on leadership, the non-profit sector and various social issues. In 2020, Paul was named one of Toronto Life’s 50 Most Influential Torontonians, was awarded the Top 40 under 40 in Canada, and voted Best Activist by the readers of Now Magazine. He is the co-founder and co-managing director of Evenings & Weekends Consulting.

Paul’s experience includes Executive Director roles at Second Base Youth Shelter, Gordon Neighbourhood House and the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House. He has also chaired the British Columbia Poverty Reduction Coalition, served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Metro Vancouver Alliance and as Vice-Chair of Food Secure Canada.

When not at work, Paul is almost always found in the kitchen, on his bike, in a good book or at a local protest.

Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and share it with others. If you appreciate this content, if you want to get in on the efforts to build a gender equal Canada, please donate at ⁠canadianwomen.org⁠ and consider becoming a monthly donor.

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Today, we’re joined by Mesi, a leader whose national and global advocacy is transforming how we understand and respond to economic abuse in Canada. 

Mesi shares how her lived experience, decades of work in global health, finance, digital innovation, and gender equality, and her leadership at the Canadian Centre for Women Empowerment led her to help build the national infrastructure needed to prevent economic abuse, one of the most hidden and often overlooked forms of gender based violence in Canada.

We’ll explore why financial safety is fundamental to survivor safety and how coordinated action across banking, government, housing, justice, and community services can move us toward meaningful change. 

And finally, Mesi leaves us with practical ways every sector, from finance to technology to community organizations, can help build a future where economic justice is recognized as one of the core pillars of gender equality. 

Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and share it with others. If you appreciate this content, if you want to get in on the efforts to build a gender equal Canada, please donate at ⁠canadianwomen.org⁠ and consider becoming a monthly donor.  

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Today we are joined by host Alyssa Carpenter from the Canadian Women’s Foundation. In this episode, Alyssa sits down with Jolene McDonald, an Indigenous wellness practitioner and the founder of a healing business that weaves together yoga, Reiki, life coaching, and community facilitation in the North. Together, they explore the power of grassroots care and small, practical ways to begin reconnecting with your own self and your community.

Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and share it with others. If you appreciate this content, if you want to get in on the efforts to build a gender equal Canada, please donate at ⁠canadianwomen.org⁠ and consider becoming a monthly donor.  

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Michelle Osbourne is an Empowerment Speaker, Self-Image Activist, and founder of Michelle Osbourne & Co. Known for helping women reclaim their confidence and take up space boldly at every stage of life, Michelle brings an unapologetic, intersectional feminist lens to everything she does. A CBC Black Changemaker and shortlisted for the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s Feminist Creator Prize, she’s partnered with top brands like Amazon Prime Video, Dove, and Interac. Her work has been featured on TV, radio, podcasts, and in publications like Today’s Parent, and HELLO!. Whether she’s delivering a keynote or inspiring thousands online with her no-nonsense energy, Michelle’s mission is simple; help women show up loudly, proudly, and without apology.

Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and share it with others. If you appreciate this content, if you want to get in on the efforts to build a gender equal Canada, please donate at ⁠canadianwomen.org⁠ and consider becoming a monthly donor.  

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Today, we’re joined by award-winning journalist Jana Pruden, whose reporting shines a light on gender-based violence and how these cases move through our justice system. 

Jana shares how her work in court reporting led her to focus on intimate partner violence, and why telling these stories accurately and ethically matters so much. 

We’ll explore the responsibility journalists carry in an age of misinformation, and the power of storytelling to help us understand what is really at stake. 

And finally, Jana leaves us with practical ways we can all support facts-based journalism and stay engaged in building change. 

Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and share it with others. If you appreciate this content, if you want to get in on the efforts to build a gender equal Canada, please donate at ⁠canadianwomen.org⁠ and consider becoming a monthly donor.  

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Welcome to the first episode of Alright, Now What? Season 8: Shifting the Story. 

Today, we’re kicking things off with someone who embodies that spirit of change: BleSsed Brooks, founder of the first official Yoni Spa in Canada. BleSsed will take us through her journey as an entrepreneur: what inspired her and the challenges feminist entrepreneurs face. We’ll also dig into some of the creative solutions she’s found along the way.  And finally, she’ll leave us with a few powerful words on what it means to take action and stay rooted in purpose. 

Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and share it with others. If you appreciate this content, if you want to get in on the efforts to build a gender equal Canada, please donate at ⁠canadianwomen.org⁠ and consider becoming a monthly donor.  

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With Jenn Harper, Founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics

Jenn Harper is an award-winning social entrepreneur and international speaker. She is the trailblazing founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics—a brand that has gracefully painted the ideals of sustainability and inclusion onto a global canvas. From its inception in 2015, Jenn has nurtured Cheekbone Beauty into a B. Corp Certified force, now gracing the shelves of Sephora Canada and 550 JC Penney locations across the USA.

Jenn's journey with Cheekbone began as a digitally native, direct-to-consumer brand that took pride in its commitment to reducing environmental impact and supporting Indigenous communities. Her formidable leadership made sure Cheekbone stood out not only for its stunning products but also for its ethical backbone. It became a symphony of transparency, philanthropy, and support for women and youth. To date, over $250,000 have been donated to philanthropic causes, testament to Cheekbone's core values.

Cheekbone's prestige has been hard-earned. In 2019, Jenn Harper made a confident appearance on Canada's Dragon's Den, the nation's equivalency of Shark Tank. While she turned down offers, her unwavering resolution steered Cheekbone towards exponential growth. Jenn's tactical negotiations led to expansive contracts with major retailers in North America, shining a beacon of inspiration for Indigenous women by placing an Indigenous CEO-led brand on equal footing with global industry giants.

Jenn Harper stands as more than a CEO; she is a voice for entrepreneurship, exerting influence on topics that are reshaping the business landscape: social entrepreneurship, empathy, representation, inclusivity, and sustainability. Regularly sought after for her insights, Jenn weaves her narrative as both a woman and a representative of Indigenous peoples in North America, substantiating the importance of these values in today's business ecosystem.

The accolades accruing to Jenn's name bear the weight of her achievements. In 2022, she was listed among the 100 Women of Influence by Entrepreneur Magazine—a list graced by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian. In 2023, Jenn was conferred an Honorary Doctorate degree from the Goodman School of Business at Brock University. This honorary degree recognized her unwavering dedication to community betterment and adamant endeavors in championing sustainability. In November of 2024, Jenn Harper was also named as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women.

Jenn Harper, with Cheekbone Beauty, brings forth a narrative of passion, resilience, and authenticity. Her biography is not just about the ascent of a brand; it's the story of a vision brought to life, of barriers broken, and of a future envisioned where commerce and charity coalesce seamlessly, all painted with the strokes of an eco-friendly brush.

Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and share it with others. If you appreciate this content, if you want to get in on the efforts to build a gender equal Canada, please donate at ⁠canadianwomen.org⁠ and consider becoming a monthly donor.  

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With Jenna Barnable, disability inclusion advocate and educator

Jenna Barnable is an Atlantic Canadian writer, communicator, disability inclusion advocate and educator who lives with multiple disabilities. She is also a storyteller, community builder and lifelong feminist who raises awareness about women’s, gender-diverse, and Disabled rights through my words, art and education.

Jenna unapologetically centers women’s, gender diverse, BIPOC and 2SLGBTQ+ perspectives and issues in her disability inclusion advocacy work, including her social content creation on TikTok and her indie feminist podcast, “Finding Avalon: Amplifying Disabled Voices.” 

Jenna's goal is empowering disabled people become stronger self-advocates, and building supportive anti-ableist allies so that together people can create meaningful change for inclusive, accessible communities where everyone belongs, regardless of ability or health. 

As a disabled feminist and anti-ableist activist, Jenna tackles the ways disability discrimination is deeply intertwined with sexism, misogyny, gender-based violence, intimate partner violence, digital hate and gender inequity. She also shines a light on gender-based barriers within healthcare, having experienced sexist medical gaslighting and dismissal that caused irreversible damage to her health – unacceptable barriers to equitable care that women and marginalized people constantly face. 

Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and share it with others. If you appreciate this content, if you want to get in on the efforts to build a gender equal Canada, please donate at ⁠canadianwomen.org⁠ and consider becoming a monthly donor.  

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With Kimberley Okafor, researcher and advocate for maternal health equity

Kimberley Okafor is a dedicated researcher and advocate for maternal health equity, currently pursuing a Master of Science in Management (MScM) at Toronto Metropolitan University. As Vice-President External for her MScM cohort and an active member of the Black Researchers Initiative to Empower (BRITE), she is committed to addressing systemic challenges in maternal care globally. Her research explores the intersection of maternal health and social inequities, aiming to transform healthcare systems and promote culturally competent, equitable care. Through her work, she strives to influence policies that drive meaningful change in maternal healthcare.

Connect with Kimberley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberley-okafor/

Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and share it with others. If you appreciate this content, if you want to get in on the efforts to build a gender equal Canada, please donate at ⁠canadianwomen.org⁠ and consider becoming a monthly donor.  

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TikTok: @cdnwomenfdn  

With Leisha Toory, Winner of the 2025 Feminist Creator Prize

Leisha Toory is a feminist advocate, writer, and the founder of the Period Priority Project, the first and only grassroots initiative in Newfoundland and Labrador dedicated solely to advancing menstrual equity. Through her work, she has successfully lobbied for free menstrual products in public spaces, a policy change recently adopted by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

As an advocate for systemic change, Leisha has created innovative digital resources, including a YouTube series, podcast, and presentations toolkit, aimed at making menstrual health advocacy more accessible. These initiatives empower individuals and organizations to engage in conversations around period poverty and gender justice.

Her work has made a significant impact both locally and nationally, reaching marginalized communities and amplifying their voices. Leisha’s commitment to challenging stigma and shaping policies for menstrual and reproductive health continues to drive her mission to promote equity, safety, and freedom from harm in Canada and beyond.

Connect with Leisha on Social Media

Instagram: @leishatoory

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leishatoory/

Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and share it with others. If you appreciate this content, if you want to get in on the efforts to build a gender equal Canada, please donate at ⁠canadianwomen.org⁠ and consider becoming a monthly donor.  

Facebook: Canadian Women’s Foundation  

LinkedIn: The Canadian Women’s Foundation  

Instagram: @canadianwomensfoundation  

TikTok: @cdnwomenfdn