On September 13th, 2025 in Ottawa, the CANADA VIRTUOUS WOMEN – CAVIWO in collaboration with a Brampton based organization: INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR FAMILY WELFARE – CANADA played host to an extraordinary gathering of talent, ambition, and community. Our latest leadership workshop on the theme: “Racialized Women; Empowered to Lead,” brought together over 100 dynamic women for a day of professional growth, strategic networking, and transformative storytelling.
The energy in the room was electric from the moment the doors opened. It was a powerful reminder that when racialized women are provided with a space built on safety and shared experience, the potential for innovation and leadership is limitless.
Highlights from the Day
The workshop was structured to move beyond traditional leadership theory, focusing instead on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by racialized women in today’s workforce.
- Keynote Excellence: Our morning began with a stirring address by Dr. Irine Ashu and Loveline Nkabyo on “The Power of Radical Authenticity,” reminding us that our cultural identities are not barriers to leadership, but our greatest strategic assets.
- Skill-Building Circles: Attendees participated in intensive question and answer sessions covering Negotiation Tactics, Strategic Networking, and Navigating Corporate Governance.
- The Mentorship Mixer: We closed the afternoon with a high-speed networking session that sparked dozens of new mentor-mentee connections across the public and private sectors.
What Our Attendees Are Saying
“I’ve attended many leadership seminars, but this was the first time I felt the curriculum was actually written for me. I’m leaving Ottawa with more than just notes—I’m leaving with a sisterhood.” — Anonymous
A Sincere Thank You
This event’s success would not have been possible without the funding of by the Government of Canada via our Brampton partners, the presence of our Orleans MP: Marie-France Lalonde, our tireless CAVIWO members/volunteers, and—most importantly—the women who showed up ready to lean in and lift each other up.
We are proud to see this community grow and can’t wait to see how the connections made on September 13th flourish in the months to come.
Stay Connected
Missed out on this session? Don’t worry! Based on the overwhelming success of this workshop, we are already planning our Winter 2026 series.
