University of Toronto hosts International Women’s Day gala

The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), University of Toronto Chapter, is hosting an International Women’s Day gala this Saturday.

The gala will take place at the Hart House in downtown Toronto at 6 p.m.

Women from different fields will be speaking of social justice issues and engaging in a discussion panel about women in the workforce.

Some of the speakers include panellist Jenise Lee, and spoken word artists Roya Abedi, and Sophia Ukani. There will also be live music performed by Brian Nghiem and Victoria Hue, a member of the Innis College Choir.

Lee, the founder of Certclean, a cosmetic company, will be talking about her career as a Chemical Engineer.

“I get a lot of questions about my career path. I’ll share how I had no idea what I wanted to do when I was in high school, and barely knew what chemical engineering really meant, and, as an adult, I’m still exploring my options. The learning and growing never stops. I want young women to be able to relate,” says Lee.

“The gala represents unity, celebration, advocacy and action, and I am happy to be in a room full of women who want to make the world a just place,” says Lee.

Hue, a neuroscience student at the University of Toronto, says, “I will be the musical guest, but I am also one of the executive members of Women in Science and Engineering directing the high school outreach initiative.”

“Events like this are important so that we can open the discussion on equality, what that means for different people, and the struggles many have faced in strive of this goal. Having an event such as this one is also a fun way to meet like-minded people who have similar visions,” says Hue.

WISE is a student-run association at the University of Toronto. Ghazal Jessani, a member of WISE and a life science student, says, “It’s a small community of driven individuals who are working towards creating a world where women are able to lead STEM-related fields.”

STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math.

“The International Women’s Day gala is going to have a keynote speaker, panellists, spoken word artists, musicians, and dancers. This gala will not be rooted in one movement or inequality issue, but rather will touch upon many which is so important because it opens our eyes and motivates us to get involved,” says Jessani.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 every year. It was formerly called International Working Women’s Day and celebrates social, economic, political, and cultural achievements of women.

“International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate and reflect. To celebrate the accomplishments of vivacious women we know, and the victories of the women who paved the way for us, but gender equality is still miles away because women are still stripped of basic rights in different parts of the world,” says Jessani.

“We have to stand up for them, speak for those who have been silenced. We still have glass ceilings to shatter, we still have a long way to go, but days like this give hope that we will get there,” says Jessani.