August 12, 2026
Today, I found myself talking to my sister about how amazing it has been to be surrounded by such an incredible group of women. Throughout this experience, I have felt empowered to be my true self and, more than ever, unapologetic about my feminist perspective. There is something incredibly powerful about being in a group of women who notice what needs to be done and simply do it. We do not always need to ask one another for help. There is an unspoken understanding that if someone needs something, we will step in. We work together, care for one another, and complete tasks through a kind of collective awareness that is difficult to put into words.
At the same time, this experience has made me think about why this type of collaboration feels so natural within our group. I do not believe that women are inherently more caring or nurturing than men. Rather, I believe women are socialized from a young age to notice the small things, anticipate the needs of others, and provide care without necessarily being asked or thanked. Women are often expected to take on an enormous amount of unpaid emotional and physical labour throughout their lives. We are taught to remember the details, care for others, make sure everyone is comfortable, and step in when something needs to be done. That expectation can be exhausting.
However, being surrounded by a group of women has made me realize how much lighter that labour can feel when it is shared. Instead of one person carrying the responsibility for everyone else, we all contribute. We notice each other. We support each other. We fill in the gaps without needing recognition for doing so. There is something incredibly freeing about being in an environment where I know that other women are paying attention and will care for me in the same way that I care for them. This is one of the reasons I love seeing women work together. Together, we are powerful.
I see this power particularly clearly in Ms. Ghuman. She is one of the strongest women I have ever met. Every room she enters seems to shift because of her presence. She carries herself with a confidence and authority that I deeply admire, and she has an unapologetic way of speaking to people. One of my favourite things she says is, “Excuse me, I’m speaking.” I love this because she refuses to make herself smaller to make other people more comfortable. She knows that her voice matters, and she expects others to recognize that too.
At the same time, her strength is not only visible in the way she commands a room. I have also seen it in the work she does quietly behind the scenes. Throughout our time here, she has worked incredibly hard to make sure that everyone is comfortable, respected, and supported. So much of what she does happens without us even having to ask. I have felt taken care of, safe, and understood because of her, even when language and cultural differences have sometimes made communication difficult. I feel incredibly grateful to have met her. I also think that she and Sabreet have played such an important role in making this experience as meaningful and incredible as it has been.
Today, all of these thoughts about women, community, and solidarity came together during our celebration of Ms. Teej at GNM Nursing College. We dressed up, celebrated together, watched people perform, danced, and cheered each other on. There was something so beautiful about watching women and girls celebrate one another without competition. We were simply excited to see each other succeed, look beautiful, dance, and have fun.
For me, dressing up and doing my makeup has always felt almost like war paint. It is something I do for myself. Yet women’s relationships with beauty are often complicated by the ways society judges and objectifies us. We are criticized for caring too much about our appearance, while simultaneously being judged when we do not conform to expectations of femininity. Today felt different. We could dress up because we wanted to. We could take pictures, compliment one another, dance, and celebrate our femininity without feeling like our appearance existed for someone else’s consumption.
It made me realize that the joy women find in dressing up and celebrating one another can be a kind of shared language. Despite differences in culture, language, geography, and background, there was something familiar about a group of women getting ready together, complimenting each other, taking pictures, and being excited to see one another shine. The beauty of women supporting women is something that can cross borders.
This experience has taught me that the power of women is not necessarily found in being the loudest person in the room or having the most authority. Sometimes, it is found in noticing that someone needs help before they ask. It is found in making space for another woman to speak. It is found in celebrating someone else’s success without feeling threatened by it. It is found in creating an environment where people feel safe enough to be completely themselves.
Being surrounded by women who are open, caring, collaborative, and willing to find solutions together has made life feel lighter. For perhaps the first time during this experience, I feel like I can truly breathe. I feel supported, understood, and empowered to take up space. This trip has reminded me that women do not have to compete with one another to be powerful. There is an incredible strength in women caring for, supporting, and uplifting one another. Together, we can make each other’s lives lighter. Together, we are powerful.