Two SJPS students attending the National Leadership Forum
February 16, 2017
Two King’s students in Social Justice and Peace Studies have been selected to attend the National Leadership Forum in Ottawa on March 6th to 9th, 2017. The National Leadership Forum is an opportunity given to Kayley MacGregor and Floranda Agroam by Daughters of the Vote (DOV). The two students were among many applicants from coast to coast selected to attend the event. The National Leadership Forum will allow the women to network with politicians including the former Prime Minister Kim Campbell. Each participant will be representing her community and have the chance to join together in connecting their visions for Canada.
“In early May of 2016, I applied, with 1500 other candidates, to attend the Equal Voice national event in March 2017. This event will allow 338 young women from all of the federal ridings in the nation to take their seat in Parliament,” Agroam says. “I will get the opportunity to take one of the parliamentarian’s seats for the day and explore new paths for me in the future,” she adds.
“I think the main expectation of all the women who take part in this event is that they bring the perspectives and ideas that were gleaned from the Daughters of the Vote, and share them with the communities where we work, live and study,” MacGregor includes.
“Because 2017 marks 100 years since the first woman was granted the right to vote in Canada, it is a one-time opportunity, which I feel fortunate to have been offered,” MacGregor says.
DOV is a group of young women leaders dedicated to ensuring women have an equal part in the political world. They acknowledge that the early 1900’s, when women in many different countries received their right to vote, was a crucial time for women in politics but only the start of an epic journey for women in politics. Agroam and MacGregor realize, too, that the journey is not yet complete and they want to help women make their political mark at the National Leadership Forum.
“For me, DOV is an opportunity to understand more about my role in politics as a young Muslim woman and how I can generate change,” Agroam says. “This is a unique opportunity for me to gather with other women from across Canada who are doing interesting and important work in their communities and across the globe,” MacGregor adds.
Though they have similar goals and objectives in this area, what led them to join DOV is different for both. For Agroam, it was a King’s professor in Social Justice and Peace Studies, Dr. Allyson Larkin. “If it was not for the municipal politics mentorship program that Dr. Larkin allowed me to participate in, I would not have been able to find my true passion for women in politics.” Agroam adds that London City Councillor Tanya Park was also very supportive of her and her political path. Park encouraged her to apply for the National Leadership Forum event. For MacGregor, it started with health problems, which ended up limiting her. “As a result, I adopted the mindset of taking advantage of opportunities whenever they present themselves.”
King’s University College extends congratulations to Agroam and MacGregor on their accomplishments.