“Reflect on the stereotypes and prejudiced views you may apply to others. Recognize if you’re discriminatory, and rectify your behaviour. Change starts with you.”

-Sonia Lal

Age: 18

Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta

Currently Residing In: Edmonton, Alberta

Affiliations: John Humphrey Center for Peace and Human Rights (ACGC Member) Students Invested in Health Association, Live Different, Big Brothers Big Sisters

What influenced you to become a change-maker?

From a cheerleader with a bow in her hair to a Taekwondo competitor gearing up to spar on the mat, I’ve earned my fair share of scoffs and eyebrow raises. Society conditions us to believe that there are only two types of women: tomboys and girly-girls. Strict gender roles perpetuated from a young age insinuate that women can’t be multifaceted and must be fit into neat separate boxes. However, boxes are for toys, not people. No activity should be restricted by gender, and no one should feel intimidated or ashamed for passionately pursuing any “contrasting” activities. As an athlete and community leader, I work to break the negative notion that engaging in certain activities automatically files one into a certain stereotype. Be it on the field, in the classroom, or out on the streets, anyone should be able to pursue their passion without barrier or fear of societal rebuke.

How does your work promote gender equality in Canada and around the world?

When choosing which bathroom to go to, I simply look up at the sign with the skirt and proceed to walk in without a worry. However, this lack of thought is a privilege I’d never acknowledged until I talked with Tess Adams, a student from the LGBTQ+ club at my school. Gender-neutral bathrooms are scarcely available, and the importance of having accessible and inclusive bathrooms for students of all gender identities is often overlooked. As an ally, and through my position as editor in chief for the school Newspaper, I worked with Tess to mould an article shedding light on the situation. In doing so, we raised awareness about the lack of facilities to the administration and successfully implemented a gender-neutral bathroom at our school.

What inspires you to make a difference in the world?

Through the Students Invested in Health Association (SIHA) Local Outreach team, I’ve been working to simultaneously address gender inequality and SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being. Currently, I am helping coordinate the installation of menstrual product dispensers around campus in women’s bathrooms. Menstrual cycles aren’t voluntary and can come unexpectedly. No one individual should have to use wads of toilet paper as a substitute for pads or suffer embarrassment from the dreaded red stain. Providing the proper resources for those who menstruate is pivotal in creating the sparks that ignite change and extinguishing the stigma around reproductive health that exists today. Sanitary products are not a luxury or a privilege; they’re a human right.

More 2019 Top 30 Alumni

John Christy Johnson

"I urge you to pay back to community, leave a trail of breadcrumbs for the prospective engineer, scientist, or astronaut, and pass the baton as you strive for personal success." -John Christy Johnson Age: 22 Hometown: Angadical, Kerala, India Currently Residing In: Edmonton, Alberta Affiliations: University of Alberta Rehabilitation Robotics Laboratory, ClickandPush Accessibility Inc., TEDxUAlberta As an Indo-Canadian and identical twin, I spend a fair proportion of my time thinking about...

Stephanie Southgate

"Never underestimate the effect that your actions have on other people. Follow your interests and skills, and use them to make a positive impact." -Stephanie Southgate Age: 28 Hometown: Ipswich, United Kingdom Currently Residing In: Calgary, Alberta Affiliations: CAWST (ACGC Member) I have always been driven to make a positive contribution to others and the world. However, during a university internship in rural India, my resolve to shift my career path towards education was solidified upon...

Tina Guo

"As young individuals, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to advocate for marginalized populations, and strive to effect positive change in our communities." -Tina Guo Age: 22 Hometown: Calgary, Alberta Currently Residing In: Calgary, Alberta Affiliations: Students Against Domestic Abuse Association, Outrun the Stigma Calgary, Student Run Clinic Born to a poor, first-generation immigrant family, I understood at a tender age the irreplaceability of diligence and tenacity. However,...

Koshin Mohomoud

"The most important thing for anyone wanting to make a change is to get involved. Whether you are able to volunteer a little bit of your time or a lot, it is always important." -Koshin Mohomoud Age: 29 Hometown: Surrey, British Columbia Currently Residing In: Edmonton, Alberta Affiliations: Edmonton Somali Professionals I am currently a senior policy advisor with the Government of Alberta. Prior to my current role, I worked in both the public and private sectors and spent time working in my...

Lindsay Brouwer

"We need to promote the idea that your gender does not limit you with what you chose to do with your life." -Lindsay Brouwer Age: 28 Hometown: Lethbrdige, Alberta Currently Residing In: Edmonton, Alberta Affiliations: Young Nurses Take Action Foundation,Canadian Association of Medical Teams Abroad, Project Amazonas, Stollery Children’s Hospital First and foremost, my parents were the most influential people in shaping who I have become. They provided me with constant unconditional love and...

Sara Kardash

"Listen to the stories of the women and gender-diverse people in our communities and take the time to unpack your unconscious biases." -Sara Kardash Age: 22 Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta Currently Residing In: Edmonton, Alberta Affiliations: Engineers Without Borders Canada (ACGC Member) I am in my final year of civil environmental engineering at the University of Alberta, where I have been involved with the on-campus Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Canada chapter as co-president. I went into...

Karl Narvacan

"Be inclusive and accepting of other people’s ideas and habits, and you can be a changemaker for gender equality." -Karl Narvacan Age: 29 Hometown: Manila, Philippines Currently Residing In: Edmonton, Alberta Affiliations: Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Centre Society, Choosing Wisely Canada As first-generation immigrants from the Philippines, our family faced a common challenge—navigating the health care system. I vividly remember going to the ER one day when I had a severe toothache, only to...

Aditya Chaudhuri

"Realize that when you do not contribute to achieving gender equality, you are limiting the world from reaching its full potential." -Aditya Chaudhuri Age: 25 Hometown: Calgary, Alberta Currently Residing In: Calgary, Alberta Affiliations: Engineers Without Borders Canada (ACGC Member) I’m a musician, an engineer (in training), an absolute animal lover, but most importantly, a global citizen who is passionate about contributing towards a sustainable tomorrow. I used to think the world was only...

Peter Anto Johnson

"People become change-makers when they work towards a mutually benefiting outcome, one based on tolerance and respect." -Peter Anto Johnson Age: 22 Hometown: Angadical, Kerala, India Currently Residing In: Edmonton, Alberta Affiliations: Run for Support and Health (RuSH), University Infant Toddler Centre – University of Alberta, Student Health Committee, Health & Wellness Movement, Obesity Canada - Students & New Professional I’m a women and children’s health researcher, community...

Alex Wong

"As an advocate, it is important to recognize your own privilege and help elevate the voices of others, rather than replace them with your own." -Alex Wong Age: 22 Hometown: Calgary, Alberta Currently Residing In: Edmonton, Alberta Affiliations: MD Admissions Initiative for Diversity and Equity, Medical Students’ Association - University of Alberta, Canadian Federation of Medical Students, Net Impact My passion for medicine stems from my belief that good health is one of the cornerstones of...
Share This