Category: News

We are proud to be a part of such a vibrant community that has so many strong female leaders! The Nelson & District Women’s Centre has decided to pay tribute to the strong female leadership that enriches our community, both within the not-for-profit as well as business sector as success within every industry deserves acknowledgement and celebration.

Please read on to celebrate the success of Jennie Barron!

Name: Jennie Barron

Position: Chair, Mir Centre for Peace and Instructor, School of University Arts & Sciences

Q: What drew you to work in the education sector?

I am a lover of ideas and thrive in challenging, intellectually stimulating environments, surrounded by motivated people who work hard and feel passionate about their work – as so many educators do. In post-secondary, we have a lot of autonomy and can be creative in designing learning experiences for students. We love our students and feel tremendous gratification of seeing them learn and grow. And it feels great when someone tells you that your course or your support made a difference in their life.

Q: Have you faced bias or barriers in being a woman leader?

I suppose I must have, but it’s not something I think about much, to be honest. There are now so many women in leadership roles at the college, sometimes I wonder where all the men have gone! I was raised in a family of four daughters and that meant five women in the house – my poor dad! At least that’s what people always said. But he was most comfortable as a father of girls/young women and said he wouldn’t have it any other way. I also went to a girls camp and had leadership roles starting in high school. So, I guess I was very lucky to grow up feeling pretty empowered like that.

Q: What 3 qualities do women need to succeed as community leaders?

We need a kind of confidence that is different from men’s. I think it is a self-reflective kind of confidence. It doesn’t exist in isolation, and it isn’t blind to our limitations. It is humble but strong and determined, and very relationally aware. Secondly, I think we need skills of collaboration to partner and work with diverse colleagues and community members. Third, we need the courage to take risks, to go where maybe women haven’t gone before and do things a bit differently because we are women. We don’t want only to succeed in a man’s world but to work with others – including men – to change the world so it works better for people of all genders.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your work?

I love that it is so meaningful. I get to work on issues I feel passionate about. I also love the challenges it provides. It’s very diverse and there is always so much room for me to keep learning and growing and improving my skills in so many areas. I also love that it is people work. I’m very relationship-oriented and I love my colleagues. They make going to work and doing the hard work so much easier.

Q: What’s the best book you’ve read or film you’ve seen recently?

I recently re-watched Dr Strangelove (1964) with my 19-year-old son. I realize that might seem almost absurd in the current context amidst so much very real fear about nuclear war, but it’s clever satire and I really appreciate that. I’m also reading Jody Wilson-Raybould’s book, Indian in the Cabinet, and listening to her read it on Audible. Hearing her story in her voice is inspiring because I really admire her commitment to her people and to democratic ideals, as well as her integrity.

Members of the Nelson & District Women’s Centre gathered peacefully outside of the Nelson Courthouse early on Sunday morning to join women from all over British Columbia to bring awareness to a guaranteed livable income. To read more, please read the full news story published by The Nelson Daily.

We are proud to be a part of such a vibrant community that has so many strong female leaders! The Nelson & District Women’s Centre has decided to pay tribute to the strong female leadership that enriches our community, both within the not-for-profit as well as business sector as success within every industry deserves acknowledgement and celebration.

Our first feature focuses on Anna Maskerine, Program Director at Nelson Community Services. Please read on to celebrate her success!

Name: Anna Maskerine

Position: Program Director (Aimee Beaulieu Transition House, Stopping the Violence Counselling, PEACE, Women’s Outreach) Nelson Community Services.

Q: What drew you to work in the non-profit sector?

A.      From the time I was young, I’ve always had a keen sense of right/wrong and of speaking out where I see injustice.  I was innately drawn to work in ways that support vulnerable people.  I began working in the anti-violence specifically, over 30 years ago.  I am a survivor or high risk violence which informs me in deep ways and fuels my passion for this work.

Q: Have you faced bias or barriers in being a woman leader?

A.     I was fortunate that early in my working life, I encountered very supportive women who encouraged me to develop my leadership skills.  I think that given non-profits are staffed by women to a large degree, and many women are in leadership roles in those organizations, I’ve experienced barriers and bias to a lesser degree.  That said, there still is a culture where unequal standards and salary inequities exist.  I’ve experienced a mindset where “leadership” equates to what are considered to be more masculine traits, and where women’s accomplishments are downplayed.  As a woman leader, there is an expectation to balance work/life alongside being a primary caregiver and I experienced that when my son was young.  And when working with other systems in the course of my work, there still exists a great deal of misunderstanding and stereotyping of what it means to be a feminist and also to work in the anti-violence field, which can be compounded by being a leader in that field of work. 

Q: What 3 qualities do women need to succeed as community leaders?

Humility – No one person knows it all and it’s ok to make mistakes.  And it’s ok for others to make mistakes too, that’s how growth and learning happens. 

Inclusivity –  You can’t do it alone.  Listen more, talk less.  There are many great women doing this work and everyone contributes to a collective outcome.  Create opportunities to acknowledge that.  Encourage and honours others strengths.   Relationships, relationships, relationships.    

Integrity – Speak up for what’s right, and keep your word.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your work?

I enjoy so many things about my work; the work itself as I believe it’s important and that what we do makes a difference.  It’s personal for me.  I’ve been there.  Seeing the strength and courage of  women who reach out to us is undullably inspiring, life impacting. working alongside other women who are so passionate about the work, I love the teams that I work with. Working in a role that allows for a lot of creativity and variety in the work; creating new programming, like indigenous cultural programming for example.  I enjoy supporting women and teams in the difficult work that they do.  I also enjoy community development work, being part of the collaborative work in the community and the opportunity to be part of creating change. 

Q: What’s the best book you’ve read or film you’ve seen recently?       

The best book I’ve read in a very long time, hands down, “From the Ashes” by Jessie Thistle.  It’s a must read.  It speaks to the human spirit and to the significance of community, connection and love.

Connect. Learn. Empower.

Welcome to the Nelson and District Women’s Centre, and thanks for visiting our website! The Women’s Centre provides a welcoming space, support, and free resources for women, gender diverse individuals and children to learn, connect, and become empowered in their own lives and engaged in their community. For over 50 years, the Women’s Centre has worked to build healthy community by playing a positive role in the lives of women, and advancing gender equality. Our umbrella organization, the West Kootenay Women’s Association, is a registered charity founded in 1972. That makes the Nelson Women’s Centre the longest-running rural women’s centre in Canada! To learn more about the history of the West Kootenay Women’s Association and the Women’s Centre, click here. The Women’s Centre is located in Nelson, and serves the West Kootenay region which is the traditional unceded territory of of the Sinixt, Ktunaxa and the Sylix Peoples. Take a look around our site and learn about what we do, and how you can get involved! Donate now through CanadaHelps.org! If you, too, believe that a strong and healthy community is built by feeling supported, empowered, valued, and heard, you can have a profound impact by clicking this donation link and supporting the Women’s Centre. Thank you for your generosity and your commitment!

“The Women’s Centre is an integral part of my community. It offers me a place to belong and be accepted without judgment. I live paycheck to paycheck so a loaf of bread, a can of soup, and a block of tofu go a long way toward supplementing my weekly nutrition….I hope to continue visiting the Women’s Centre for a long time to come.”