Run it Like a Girl

After a 15-year career in social work and adult education, Sharon Haywood decided she needed a break from the daily grind, not to mention the winters of Toronto. That break turned more permanent while she was travelling South America, and fell in love with Buenos Aires, Argentina.

But Sharon, who had suffered an eating disorder earlier in her life, noticed some of those negative behaviours returning, and started, once again,  to become uncomfortable with her body. This was the spark that ignited Sharon’s activist spirit. Now, as the founder of AnyBody Argentina, part of an international organization called, Endangered Bodies, Sharon focuses much of her work on the clothing size issue within Argentina.

Toronto’s entertainment district is familiar territory for Colleen Smith who has held senior roles in some of the country’s most cherished arts institutions.  Originally from Prince Edward Island, Colleen started out her work life as a teacher sharing her passion for the arts with middle and high school students in Halifax.

Colleen is passionate about getting youth involved in the arts, and says that giving young people the opportunity to perform and be on stage helps build strong and confident individuals. 

Hear Colleen’s philosophy on the lack of women and people of colour in arts executive roles, and why you shouldn’t be afraid to fail. 

Dr. Amanda Parriag is the president of an Ottawa-area organization called Media Action. It was created to respond to the sexism and bias that many believed were misrepresenting women in various forms of media including advertisements. The organization now runs workshops, through their program, Informed Opinions, aimed at teaching women how to write Op Ed. pieces to ensure their ideas and opinions are heard in the media. Media Action also runs a program called Ask Women Anything, where female experts on a variety of topics are invited to speak. Topics range from indigenous issues to the Me Too movement. Amanda is optimistic about the future, saying the girls growing up now are fearless, inspiring, and are taking the world by storm.

It was during a chance visit in 2000 that Catherine Langlois fell in love with Prince Edward County, a rural peninsula that pushes out into Lake Ontario about an hour west of Kingston. Catherine had also fallen in love with the art of wine-making while working in the world-renowned vineyards of Burgundy, France, an opportunity she took while studying hospitality management in Montreal. Catherine, who grew up on the south shore of Quebec City, got a Farm Loan, sold her home and bought 15 acres of land near the town of Wellington. She traded in her red motorcycle for a blue tractor and went about planting and building what was only the fourth winery in Prince Edward County; that number now tops 40. Sandbanks Winery started by selling 4 wines to local restaurants, but Catherine opened the store when it became clear there was a growing demand for her wines. Sandbanks is now a commercial success with 19 products listed at the LCBO, Ontario’s Liquor retailer. Sandbanks Winery is also the LCBO’s fifth top supplier of VQA wines, which are wines made from 100% Ontario grapes. Catherine was recognized as the Quinte Region’s Remarkable Woman of the Year in 2017 for helping to put the region on the map and playing a vital role in boosting the region’s economy and its stature as a tourist destination.