One of our projects for this year is a segment called: “Women Who Inspire.” We have been brainstorming this concept for a while and discussing with many of the first cohort of inspirational women we sought to profile.
Given our immediate mandate at Diversify, this segment is particularly important to us.
Female Role Models
First, it highlights female trailblazers. Ordinary, yet extraordinary every day women who are changemakers in Norway. They are impact driven founders, employees, entrepreneurs and mothers from diverse backgrounds, who are both bold in discussing challenges and thirsty to make a measurable and sustainable difference through their work. They are unafraid to push boundaries and ask difficult questions because they know that this is how positive change happens. History is made by passion and action. Each woman we will profile embodies both passion and action.
Their commitment is unrivalled and although their journey has not always been easy, their determination is undiminished. They have and continue to find and open windows where there are no doors. They have brought their foldable chairs to the room when none was reserved for them. They continue to break down walls so many of us do not have to. They work so that future generations of women (immigrant and otherwise) would not have to ask, “why is this so?” And we wouldn’t have to answer “because this is how things have always been.”
Representation
Second, we are incredibly proud of the diverse backgrounds, skillset, and insights we have been able to capture in these women. In our view, their diversity is evident of the many faces of Norwegian society as it exists today. And as we represent their stories, gender, skillset, races, experiences and work, we hope that other people, especially young girls and women, may see themselves represented. So that they might think, “because they are…, I can.” Because they have…, I will.”
Collaboration
Third, we are obsessed with female powerhouses and as such would love to highlight and support their businesses and organizations in Norway. When we founded Diversify, it was because we felt that there was a structural, emotional, and professional gap in the experiences of foreign women in Norway with regard to integration, inclusion and opportunity.
To this end, we hosted out first event in 2018, called Springboard, and subsequently, facilitated a two weeks workshop for about 20 women, on network building and business development skills. The panel speakers had roots in six of the seven continents, came from different industry sectors and were at different stages of their professional lives. The diverse participants (immigrants, expats and Norwegians) came from different walks of life and stories. Their combined presence and contributions validated Our WHY and emboldened us to continue forth on this path. Nonetheless, at that time, we were unaware of the many women and organizations who like those represented on our panel, continue to inspire us daily, through the diversity of work and projects they undertake to elevate the human and process conditions for companies, societies, and individuals alike.
Click here to learn more about our Springboard project.
Fortunately, as a result of our project last year, we have been exposed to a refreshing number of female leaders, entrepreneurs and founders, and for this reason, we would like to provide a platform where others may find them and learn about their amazing work. For many of these women whose work focus primarily on integration, inclusion, diversity, opportunity and mental health, their efforts continue to shine a light on related challenges. Every day, these women and the organizations they lead work to change the single and overwhelmingly negative story and experience shared by many foreigners in Norway.
We are incredibly proud that they have each agreed to share their stories and insights with us. They inspire us every day. We are forever grateful for their collaboration to bring this segment to life and the opportunity to learn from them.
We will continually update this post with the names and organizations of women we profile. Stay tuned.
Nikol Mard & Network for Work
Elizabeth Iluore & divasIT
Alicia Partee & Generation Mobility
More to come…
