Campaign highlights the way we refer to female leaders, sends letter to future workforce
WINDSOR, Sept. 25, 2019 – Build a Dream’s latest campaign is designed to highlight the negative terms that society often reserves just for women. From bossy to bitchy to emotional, work reviews are rife ith descriptors that are not used for their male counterparts.
With inspiring photos taken by expert photographer, Heike Delmore, individuals from the Build a Dream team each chose a negative label that people have used to describe them at work, but choose to celebrate the positive connotation of those character traits.
“The way the way we refer to our future leaders has great impact,” says Nour Hachem‐Fawaz, President and Founder of Build a Dream. “If we want to give women opportunities to enter, advance, and lead in society, we need to adjust our conversations.” Instead of only focusing on the negative terms, Hachem‐Fawaz also wanted to write a positive letter to support and encourage young women, and to refuse the traditional script that has been written for them:
Dear young women;
We live in a world where you can be and do anything you want to. We are confident you will be brave in the face of adversity. You will be a LEADER in the classroom, on the soccer field, the shop floor, and in the board room.
We are watching and will cheer you on because you are INTELLIGENT and will solve some of the world’s greatest challenges. You have TENACITY and you get at the truth. You are DEDICATED and CONFIDENT and will help break barriers. As a SPIRITED and PASSIONATE woman, you can smash glass ceilings.
From closing skills gaps to building on business success, everyone has the opportunity to strengthen the Canadian workforce by tapping into the other 50% of the population.
“Part of attracting and retaining top talent is demonstrating how you treat others. How we describe women in leadership really matters.” T‐shirts like those worn in the photoshoot will be available for purchase and proceeds will be used to boost Build a Dream programs.
To view photos from the #AdjustTheConveration shoot, click here.
About Build a Dream: Build a Dream is dedicated to empowering and educating young women about careers in skilled trades, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), emergency response, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Through spotlighting female professionals, awareness campaigns, hands‐on learning camps, and popular career discover expos, the non‐profit encourages families to explore all career pathways available to help make informed decisions for the future.
From strong partnerships with industry, education, and community organizations – and by utilizing research, data tracking and feedback – Build a Dream delivers quality programming to build a strong talent pipeline for the future and advance women in society overall.
Media Relations Further Information:
Nour Hachem‐Fawaz, President & Founder, (519) 560‐7877, nour@webuildadream.com Media Inquiries: Victoria Rose, Marketing & Branding Director, (519) 890‐3159, victoria@webuildadream.com
Photography: Heike Delmore, Photographer, (416) 705‐4453, www.delmorephotography.com
