This year on, March 7th, Oikocredit US celebrated International Women's Day with Oikocredit Canada and The Social Economy through Social Inclusion (SETSI) to bring stakeholders a one-hour panel discussion of the day’s theme, #BreakTheBias.
Our panelists came from a variety backgrounds making for a well-rounded discussion and thought-provoking points. The conversation helped to generate insights on how cooperatives can bring us closer to a gender-equal world, free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.
“When you continue education, continue training, that continuous stream of information actually opens you up and makes you more aware. Makes you see your blindspots. I believe that is one thing that can help us to break our biases. I want us to look at ourselves and see what biases are there in my own cooperative or in my own self that I need to break."
- Wunmi Akinlosotu, Founder of Blooming Ladies Cooperative
Last year we celebrated International women's day with Yolirruth Núñez, Senior Social Performance and Capacity building Officer at Oikocredit International. We were delighted she agreed to join us again this year as a panelist. Closing remarks were provided by Oikocredit US Board Chair Antoinette Kenmuir-Evans.
"There are a lot of women investors who want to invest differently and I hope the co-op movement can attract them because women investing in women, I think, is very crucial."
- Sister Corinne Florek, Portfolio Manager, Adrian Dominican Sisters