THUNDER BAY — Businesswomen will recognize International Women's Day by hosting #inspireinclusivity in celebration of businesswomen, at Goods and Co. on Friday and Saturday.
Maelyn Hurley of Goods & Co. Market and Romy Marlo of The Uncommon Woman have partnered to host the two-day event, which includes the International Women's Day Luncheon on Friday from noon to 2 p.m. at Woodside Restaurant.
On Saturday, the Women in Business Showcase will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it will also be held at Goods & Co Market.
Proceeds from the sold-out event will go to Isthmus to support their initiative that feeds impoverished children on the weekends.
"It's all about inspiring inclusivity. That's the theme of the National Women's Day this year," Marlo said. "And especially with the climate, socially, we need to be having more conversations about inclusivity, what it means and how we can inspire more of that. It's a really positive conversation about bringing more inclusivity into our community and in the greater collective as well."
She added that bringing women together to have these conversations is vital because women tend to move more from a compassionate and emotionally intelligent space.
"We have more capacity for those conversations," she said, adding that the speakers at the luncheon will certainly have a "big discussion" about that.
Keynote speaker Amina Abu-Bakare, volunteer co-ordinator at Isthmus, will join Michelle Murdoch-Gibson, founder of Rowan Tree Collective and Sara Kae, a journalist, songwriter and storyteller, for a speaker series during the luncheon.
"We have a lot of representation as far as the inclusivity needs in our community," Marlo said.
On Saturday, the business showcase will celebrate women in business in Thunder Bay while also showcasing what goes on in the Goods and Co. Market every day.
This year, the event has 91 people registered, up from 30 last year.
"Next year is going to probably double," Marlo said.
She said recognizing International Women's Day is important because women are still struggling to be seen, heard and celebrated.
The Chronicle-Journal / Local Journalism Initiative
