Where are they now: Tracy Folorunsho-Barry
GROW Women Leaders is a leadership career development and advancement firm that seeks to support, empower, encourage and develop women.
Our founder, Tracy Barry first began this initiative after immigrating to Canada from Nigeria. Along her settlement journey she faced struggles with integrating into Canada, as both a student and as a mother of five kids.
She realized that some of her struggles were common for other immigrant women and decided to create an inclusive platform for women to share their stories of struggles but also their successes in Canada. By doing this these women were able to encourage and empower one another.
This initiative was called Project 150: Untold Stories of Immigrants. Project 150 included extensive interviews and a collection of stories from more than 200 women across Canada. These women overcame many adversities to become successful immigrant women. Their stories were used to inspire thousands of other women across the country through the following activities:
Speak Out Women Series:
Cultural Award Night: a yearly event with speakers and awards given to outstanding women in various areas and vocation
Book Publishing: Project 150: Untold Stories Of Immigrant Women in Canada: Challenges, Successes & Accomplishments was published
It was during the course of Project 150 that Tracy realized that there were common gaps and barriers women were facing that needed a solution. Women, especially BIWOC and immigrant women needed guidance and support on how to move forwards with their dreams, careers, and a way to break through some of the systemic barriers they were facing. She founded GROW Women Leaders as a way to tackle these challenges and advocate for a more equitable Canada.
Over the past few years we have done extensive research into how we can tangibly create this equitable change. At GROW we focus on community connections, the sustainable livelihood model, equity for all women, and women leadership. GROW sees that women with meaningful work experience are connected with employers looking to diversify their workplace. We also connect women, particularly BIWoC and immigrants with the community through activities that focus on individual and community bridging. This includes training, mentoring, and support programs that foster cultural awareness, economic growth, civic and social inclusion.
GROW bases all our practices in the UNDP Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, and other SL approaches that serve primarily as a programming framework to devise a set of integrated support activities to improve the sustainability of livelihoods among poor and vulnerable groups by strengthening the resilience of their coping and adaptive strategies. As an organization we are also committed to education that is based on the principles of acceptance and inclusion of all adult women including Black, Indigenous and other People of Colour, and LGBTQIA+. Candidates see themselves reflected in their curriculum, their physical surroundings, and the broader environment, in which diversity is honored and all individuals are respected.
Through our research and ongoing commitment we have been able to launch our flagship program the Canadian Career Program™ (CC+P). It is a comprehensive training program aimed at solving the persistent workforce issues facing women in Canada. The Canadian Career Plus Program (CC+P) is a leadership, professional and entrepreneurship training program meant to meet the needs of women looking to develop and advance their career in professional, business and civic. Supported by local training institutions, mentors, experts, and other industry partners, it is geared towards training women founders, managers, executives, politicians, entrepreneurs, and CEO’s of the future.
To further support our members and participants GROW offers a host of supports and resources. Our upcoming Co-Creative space provides women with a dedicated space to meet like-minded people, and ongoing support for career and entrepreneurship. The GROW Co-Creative Space is a unique meeting space that goes beyond the traditional, designed specifically for women. Women in our program have access to this space during the duration of the program. Within our co-creative space is an integrated modern, vibrant and elegant Nurture café and Kitchen as well as an outdoor patio that is made available to members as well as the general public. The menu is carefully created to cater mostly fresh foods for those with busy lifestyles, especially busy professionals and entrepreneurs as well as will also cater to those with food sensitivities and diet restrictions including preservative-free diet, gluten/dairy-free, vegan friendly meals, preps and more. Women can order or sign up to get healthy Meals delivery right to their doorstep. We save time for busy professionals & entrepreneurs with affordable meal prep services.
The Outcome
We are contributing to a long-term inclusive workforce and increasing the economic opportunities of underrepresented groups in the economy. A woman looking to become an entrepreneur is equipped with skills not only on how to start a business but also, how to maintain and grow it. Civic engagement participants gain awareness of the techniques needed to effectively organize and connect with people in the community. Professional Step-up participants gain support, mentorship, and skills to move into leadership roles in their professional lives that are personally and professionally satisfying.
Source: https://www.growwomenleaders.com/post/what-is-grow-women-leaders
