INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
March 8th 2021
“Feminism isn’t about making women strong. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.”- GD Anderson
The Power of Community with the Bondi & Districts Chamber of Commerce
In celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8) and in support of local businesses, charities and communities, Pip Edwards joined a Q&A panel at the Bondi & Districts Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday March 3rd.
Held at the Blue Room Bondi, the afternoon was hosted by international TV host and creator of Strong Sexy Mammas, Anna Kooiman. Guest speakers included Leah Simmons, founder of KAAIAA; Dulce Munoz, national convenor of Mums 4 Refugees and City of Sydney Humanitarian Award winner 2018; Ronni Kahn, founder of food rescue charity OzHarvest; and Paula Masselos, Mayor of Waverley.
Founded in 1940, the Bondi Chamber & Districts of Commerce provides assistance, guidance and a point of reference to local businesses. The Chamber’s commitment to celebrating and supporting local businesses and their achievements, the diverse collective of women present, and the theme of the event, The Power of Community, made for an impactful and inspiring afternoon that reflected on the many shared experiences women throughout the world feel and have felt, particularly within the past 12 months.
“What this time, this pandemic has taught us is that we are all in this together, young, old, male, female – we are all equal. We have now, on a global scale, all endured an emotional rollercoaster. The multi-tasking, the working from home, the struggles and the stress of the unknown of life across the board. We all need to find our own strong voice and hold one another’s hand through it, but it’s not just women supporting women – it is person to person. We have the most powerful impact when we all work together for a greater collective.” – Pip Edwards
Unapologetic Leadership with Soho House & Co
On International Women’s Day, Pip Edwards and Claire Tregoning took part in a conversation themed Unapologetic Leadership, coordinated by Soho House. Soho House was established in 1995 as a place for members to connect, grow, have fun and make an impact. The event was held in the Harbourside Room at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney Harbour, and facilitated by globally-acclaimed coach and speaker, Vashti Whitfield.
Pip and Claire were among a panel of guest speakers for the event, alongside Amanda Talbot – interior designer and design consultant, and founder of The Together Project; Lorraine Tarabay – a former investment banker, and current Chair of the Museum of Contemporary Art; and Yvonne Weldon – a Wiradjuri woman, current elected Chairperson of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, a Board member of DVNSW and the Australian Day Council of NSW.
An intimate and powerful conversation began with a welcome to Gadigal land, lead by Yvonne. “A welcome to country is an age-old tradition. It is more than just words; it is a spiritual process for honouring the ancestors’ footsteps we are all walking in. We are continuing the practices of the many generations before us, to share with the many generations to come.”
This sentiment and meaning was woven throughout the morning, with powerful thoughts on sustainability, legacy, leading with vulnerability, and staying true to your core values shared across the panel, as a way to move forward for the greater good. In Amanda’s words, “We have to look at what we can do right now, to secure better things for future generations, in every area. And I truly believe in the hope and kindness economy – there’s so many people in the world right now in every industry from tech and science to health, fashion and design, that want to make change and are finding ways and connecting with each other to soften social and environmental impact – and that’s the way it should be. We’re all leaders in this. And we all need to be unapologetic about it. It’s not about passing the torch to the upcoming generations – that torch is in front of each of us right now and we have to grab it and do what we can. Every small step can lead to incredible things.”