Embrace Equity with Brescia’s International Women’s Day Panel

Born and raised in a war-torn country, Sara Asalya witnessed first-hand the impact of violence, displacement and trauma on the lives of refugees. This guides her work as an award-winning leader and human rights advocate. Sara has more than 15 years of experience working internationally and in Canada in various sectors. She is now the Executive Director of Newcomer Women's Services Toronto (NEW). This multi-service not-for-profit operates in two Toronto locations serving thousands of Immigrants and Refugees annually.

Sara is also the Founder and former Executive Director of The Newcomer Students’ Association, a national not-for-profit organization working at the intersection of migration, education and social justice. She has received many awards for being a champion for immigrants' rights and for her dedication to advancing their economic resilience, civic and political engagement. Some of these accolades include being recognized as one of Canada’s Top 25 Immigrants in 2018 and one of Canada’s Top 25 Women of Influence in 2021.

Bonnie DePaul has 20 years of formal leadership experience in the health and social service sector.  She has a Masters in Education in Leadership and Adult learning and is Certified by Dr. Brené Brown as a Dare to Lead™ Facilitator. Bonnie is passionate about living authentically and shares openly about her journey of coming out as a queer woman and mother and the mental health struggles she has experienced navigating the oppressive systems within which we live and operate. Bonnie leads by choosing courage over comfort and taking steps towards growth and expansion. She supports individuals, teams and organizations to understand and explore their call to courage.

Bonnie is an inclusive facilitator and an authentic communicator who works hard to dismantle systems of oppression. Bonnie believes when truly inclusive collaboration takes place, magic can happen. Her aim is to create that magic at every level of organizations and community by fostering cultures of daring leadership where authentic conversations are fueled by knowing oneself and abandoning the judgement of others.

Dr. Yvonne Asare-Bediako is a brilliant educator and researcher with over 15 years of experience working across academic and community settings. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology, with expertise in social inequality and health. She currently works as the Black Community Liaison Advisor for the City of London and is a valued faculty member at Brescia. She has worked within our university for six years and formally led antiracism work across campus for the past three.

An immigrant and racialized woman with a strong understanding of the consequences of health, social and service inequities, Yvonne is intentional in her work with racialized persons and has led several innovative projects that enhance their psychosocial wellbeing. She develops and adapts evidence-based programs for racialized persons and leads non-profit and city-wide efforts to enhance health and social outcomes for Black persons.

Mojdeh Cox is an impact and results oriented community builder and leader. Her dynamic 10+ years of experience working in co-visioning, co-designing, executing issue-based advocacy campaigns, and coaching leaders across all sectors on re-imagining their work through a strategic and heightened equity lens have equipped her with the knowledge and practices required to bring people together. Mojdehbelieves that a supportive, inspiring workplace culture where there are shared values and goals is how cross-functional teams thrive. Her unique gifts and ability to implement complex projects have been instrumental in raising the profiles of municipal, provincial and federal campaigns, while building community along the way.

At a time when organizations look to contribute to the dismantling of systemic barriers, Mojdeh brings forward expertise in labour relations, human rights, and equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. She knows how to bring people together to have challenging conversations. Mojdeh speaks, writes and provides media commentary on local, national and international issues. Most recently, her thought leadership on radical accountability has been nationally recognized in her tenure as President and CEO in the nonprofit sector.

Alizabeth George-Antone is the Indigenous Community Liaison Advisor of the City of London Anti-Oppression unit. Born and raised in Oneida, Alizabeth is a passionate educator who works tirelessly to restore Indigenous Education and language. Through her advocacy and prioritization of relationship building, she is helping to foster more positive collaborations between Indigenous communities and the City of London.

Alizabeth has a Master’s Degree in Indigenous education and leadership, and she has taught at the post-secondary level about Indigenous culture, equity and social justice. She is a courageous and essential role model for the young people she supports and a bridge builder between newcomer populations and Indigenous communities. Aside from being an inspiring source of wisdom and passionate activist, she was elected to Oneida Chief and Council in 2020. She is now serving her second term and holds dear to her heart the implementation of Truth and Reconciliation that we must all live by and practice.