By: Surjit Singh Flora
BRAMPTON, ON (February 20, 2020) – Join the City of Brampton for an inspirational International Women’s Day celebration, featuring workshops, a celebratory walk, live performances and light refreshments on Sunday, March 8 from 10 am to 2 pm at City Hall.
Hosted by Mayor Patrick Brown, Regional Councillor Rowena Santos and City Councillor Charmaine Williams, the celebration will feature City TV’s Cristina Howorun as Master of Ceremonies and keynote speaker The Honourable Jean Augustine, Member of the Queen’s Privy Council and Companion of the Order of Canada. Ms. Augustine made history in 1993 as the first African Canadian woman elected to Canada’s House of Commons.
The Zonta Club of Brampton and Caledon will present a series of workshops from 10 am to 12 pm as follows:
Successful Women in Business
Powerful Women in Politics
Fighting for Gender Equity, Equality and Advocacy
Empowering Mothers
Engaging Youth and Teens
Mind, Soul, Health and Well-being
Inspiring Women of Culture and Faith
Women in STEM
Workshops are free to attend, but registration is required. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP to [email protected] by February 28.
Everyone is invited to participate in a celebratory walk from Daily Times Square, along Queen Street, down Main Street South and into the City Hall Atrium at 12 pm. The official ceremony will begin at 12:30 pm, featuring speeches, performances and formal recognition of past and present female members of Brampton City Council.
International Women’s Day is a global day of celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality. The theme for this year’s campaign is #EachforEqual.
For more information on the City of Brampton’s International Women’s Day celebration, visit www.brampton.ca.
Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton said, “Brampton’s Mosaic is made richer everyday thanks to the immense contributions of women across our city and recognizing the formidable women who have served on Brampton City Council. This event is an opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements here in Brampton, across Canada, and around the world.” He added.
Rowena Santos, Regional Councillor, Wards 1&5 said, “Co-hosting this celebration is personally important as the first Filipino elected in Peel Region. Events like this add to our strong advocacy and education efforts to end violence against women. I hope women and men from all of Brampton’s diverse communities will join us on International Women’s Day to celebrate women’s achievements, join the discussion in our workshops and continue to push for a more gender-balanced world.”
– Charmaine Williams, City Councillor, Wards 7&8 said, “As Brampton’s first Black female Councillor, I am very proud to co-host this event, recognizing the women who came before me and blazed a trail. With wonderful examples like the Honourable Jean Augustine’s many achievements in education, politics and social causes, International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate all of our accomplishments.”
ABOUT Cristina Howorun
Cristina joined the CityNews team in 2015 and
is thrilled to be reporting about her hometown, on a station she grew up
watching.
Cristina was born and raised in Toronto and Brampton, but
spent the past decade moving around Ontario for school and work. After earning
a Master’s degree in Political Studies from Queen’s University and working for
the government, she answered her true calling and became a journalist.
Cristina earned a degree in Broadcast Journalism from Ryerson
University while flying around in a helicopter delivering traffic reports for a
variety of radio and TV stations. After graduating, she worked as a Political
Affairs reporter for CTV News Windsor and CTV News London.
Cristina has covered every election since 2008, she’s been
embedded with the troops in Mojave Desert, tracked down a suspected terrorist
in Libya, exposed shocking levels of abuse and negligence in long-term care
homes and shined a light on the dangerous living and working conditions in
Ontario’s jails.
She is passionate about holding the government to account and
fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves. Her work has been recognized
by several organizations, earning her the UNIFOR Southern Ontario News Media
Guild award for Labour Journalism, four Edward R. Murrow awards for
Investigative Journalism, an RTDNA Canada award for investigative journalism
and multiple team awards.
She lives in the same west-end neighbourhood she grew up in,
and can often be seen palling around with her Havanese, Molly.
