5 Inspiring Changemakers Making History Today
(Image Credit: Photo by Unseen Histories on Unsplash)
March is Women’s History Month, a month dedicated to acknowledging the contributions of women to history and society. Every year we recognize the achievements of women that have made an impact in our world. This year, Life Works Well is recognizing the women who are making history today. Some of these women you might have seen featured on our social media pages or as a guest on our mentor circles. Here are five inspirational changemakers who are making a difference today.
(Image Credit: Keshelle Davis)
Keshelle Davis
Keshelle Davis is making an impact as a business growth mentor and CEO of the Training Authority, an internationally recognized business education and consulting organization operating in the Bahamas. Her mission is to spread knowledge so that together we can progress our world.
Among her outstanding accomplishments, Keshelle is also an author of two books Manifest Your Dreams and Philosophies of Iconic Leaders. She has also created popular programs including The Dreamboard Party Experience, The Planners Retreat, Make it Real Method, and more.
Keshelle has also received the Bahamas Top 48 Award where she was recognized as a changemaker in education, entrepreneurship, and leadership. In 2017, she also received the Bahamian Icon Award for Commerce and was featured on the cover of Global Woman Magazine.
(Image Credit: Evangeline Chima)
2. Evangeline Chima
Evangeline Chima is inspiring change as the founder of Black Mentorship Inc. BMI – an organization dedicated to fostering the professional growth and personal expansion of Black professionals. The motivation behind creating Black Mentorship Inc. was from her personal experiences with systemic racism and bias as a Black professional woman in Canada.
Evangeline also noticed Black professionals were underrepresented across industries and in leadership roles. She created BMI to inspire, support, and mentor Black professionals to fulfil their potential to build community, and to promote change.
In addition to her remarkable work with BMI, Evangeline also participates in the Sheridan College and BMI Black Leadership, Ambition, Collective Knowledge and Success (BLACKS) initiative where she provides consultation to executives and academic leadership teams on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Last summer, she provided mentorship to 16 Sheridan students through Sheridan College’s Virtual Internship Program.
Last year, she received the 2021 Women of Inspiration Black Women Leader Award from the Universal Women’s Network. Evangeline’s dream is to “see every Black professional reach their full potential.”
(Image Credit: Jackie Porter)
3. Jackie Porter
Jackie Porter is making her mark in the financial industry as an advocate for women’s financial empowerment. Jackie is an award-winning financial planner, best-selling author, and speaker who helps thousands of clients grow their net worth and build a fortress around their finances.
Jackie was raised by a single mom who passed away when she was young. This loss taught her the importance of becoming financially independent at a young age. Jackie entered the financial industry as a second career after taking a package from a telecom company. Since then, she has served the financial industry for the past 23 years helping families, businesses, and professionals in the GTA.
Jackie has also co-authored Single by Choice or Chance, the smart woman’s guide to living longer better, to help single women prepare better for their financial future. Jackie was also named the female trailblazer of the year in 2019 and in 2021 by the Wealth Professional Awards. Along with her impressive achievements, Jackie is also a regular contributor to Investment Executive, Wealth Professional, and The Globe and Mail.
(Image Credit: Vicki Saunders)
4. Vicki Saunders
Vicki Saunders is making a difference in the lives of women around the world. She is an entrepreneur, award-winning mentor, advisor to the next generation of change-makers and leading advocate for entrepreneurship as a way of creating positive transformation in the world.
Vicki is Founder of #radical generosity and SheEO, a global community of radically generous women supporting women-led Ventures working on the World’s To-Do List. She has also co-founded and run ventures in Europe, Toronto and Silicon Valley and taken a company public on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Vicki was received numerous awards for her work at SheEO including; UBS Global Visionary in 2020, YWCA Women of Distinction Award in 2020, Business Leader of the Year 2019 by the Toronto Regional Board of Trade, 2018 Startup Canada Entrepreneurship Promotion Award and was selected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum in 2001.
(Image Credit: Carol-Ann Marshall)
5. Carol-Ann Marshall
Carol-Ann Marshall was an inspiration to the Life Works Well team, she passed away last fall but her life, and legacy will carry on. Carol-Ann Marshall was celebrated for breaking barriers by becoming the first Black woman to become an Ontario Provincial Police officer in 1978. Carol-Ann was among a graduating class where most of her peers were men, her achievement paving the way for subsequent female officers of colour. She was also a human rights advocate who worked in the Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Section of Ontario.
As a certified Conscious Uncoupling Coach, Carol-Ann was also a champion for helping women from around the world claim their power. Her coaching programs strived to help women build their confidence and understand what they want so they can claim their power in their most important relationships.
Carol-Ann has also released the book I Dare You! Conquer Fear and Free Yourself From Emotional Abuse. She believed that the definition of abuse should be expanded to include emotional abuse and wrote this book to raise awareness of the impact of emotional abuse on women.
As a victim of emotional abuse, Carol-Ann drew from her personal experiences to encourage other women to examine their relationships and make a positive change in their lives. In her book, she demonstrates the importance of emotional abuse and describes symptoms that indicate abusive behaviour.
Acknowledging the role and accomplishments of women at your organization is crucial to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Reflect on how you will celebrate women at home, in the workplace, and in your community.
Our next mentor circle is on Wednesday, March 30th at 12:00 P.M. and Evangeline Chima will be joining us as a guest to talk about her journey as a Black professional in Canada, her passion for mentorship, and her advice for how organizations can improve their EDI initiatives. Register here!