Manifesto

My journey started in high school, entering grade twelve I decided to pursue a career in community services as a way to contribute to my community. I didn't know much of feminism/feminist in the western world, but, my mother is the only feminist that as a young woman I looked up. My mother encouraged me to volunteer in community centres and at my old high school. As I was a new comer to the country, I had similar experiences that many new immigrant students were facing. I was able to help with homework, and I enjoyed running a drama class because that's where everyone shared their voices.

In college I enrolled in Social Service Work Program because I want to work with NGO's that are dedicated to women's issues. I was first introduced to the western feminism/feminist by a college instructor, who was working at women's shelter. Feminism became interested to me because of my back ground as an African woman, I experienced oppression, and inequality from early age and I have seen many women treated as second class citizens.

While in college I volunteered with the city of Toronto home for the aged as an activity assistant. Many of the families that I worked with were run by women/ daughters, mostly single mothers taking care of their elderly parents. I had the honour of helping with the process of administering new participants, delivering programs, monitoring daily activities and medication intake. With my volunteering experiences I was able to obtain summer job positions that are under the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Through this journey I had/have the opportunity to witness the power of my own survivor, my voice, and strength which helped me to realize the initial importance of my input. Through this strength I carry, I want to help suppress the prevalence of an epidemic that bothers my spirit. I want work to help with the implementations of protection programs for abused women and children who seek shelters from abusers. I want to create support services accessible for all abused women and children. The issue here in Canada is very unfortunate; it has to do with housing and lack of funding. Not everyone in Canada live in huge cities, many live in rural and remote areas, where women in abusive relationships are trapped with their abusers because they have nowhere to run. This situation is one of issues that I'm passionate to work toward. Women have already faced internal bias when trying to escape abusers; they do not need regional barriers as well. As women/feminists, we need interventions plans before the abuse. I want every woman to feel capable and at ease in her community, especially women who are experiencing abuse. These women are in need of reliable resources that are available to them, in case they want to escape an abusive relationship.

I believe my intentions are good; my accomplishments would help motivate a lot of "closet feminist". I believe that my efforts would prove to young women that their voices are needed and that if they speak, they not only speak for themselves, but they will speak for those who cannot speak. My goal is a determined one; thus, I believe that one day I will be able to make insightful changes. I want to change the world and especially the third world and although this statement may sound fuzzy and quite impossible, I want to make an effort. It is my vision that this world will one day haven women capable of anything they desire. I want to start by making opportunities available to those in need of help because they desire the best. I have proven to myself, through gaining essential knowledge, that I can make difference and women’s studies is the profession that will help me with my journey