Tell us a bit about yourself!
My name is Julia Wilson and I am a practicum student at the Women’s Centre, working mainly within the Girl Power and Girl Force Programs offered at the Centre. I am in my fourth year of my Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Calgary, and previously studied Psychology at St. Thomas University in New Brunswick, which helped spark my interest in helping others and overcoming inequality. I only moved to Calgary a year ago, but I am already feeling at home in this city and I’m actively looking at ways I can contribute to building healthy individuals, healthy families and healthy communities. I’m passionate about helping others and I LOVE to spend time outdoors – hiking, skiing, skating, rock climbing, cartwheeling – really anything as long as I get to do it outside! I teach kids yoga and I enjoy reading and spending time with my friends at local coffee shops and markets.
What is your personal definition of feminism?
My personal definition of feminism is women working to improve society for ALL women. It’s women empowering each other, working together, bringing each other up, acknowledging each other and challenging gender inequality. Feminism is not just for white women, or middle class women, or single women – feminism is for all women, and when women find and use their power, all of society benefits.
What brought you to the Women’s Centre of Calgary?
I was intrigued by the Women’s Centre of Calgary because I was interested in working with women to better understand women’s issues and their roots. I was also interested in being involved in the programs offered to girls through the Centre because of their key focus on activism and engaging girls in discussions of social issues and gender inequality. Awareness of gender issues and gender inequality is a critical step to being able to think critically and take action. I wish I had taken a program like Girl Power, Girl Force or Girl Up when I was younger!
What’s one thing you hope to learn at the Women’s Centre?
At the Women’s Centre of Calgary I hope to learn more about how women’s issues are connected to each other, and what action we can take to begin to change the systems that create and maintain gender inequality.
Describe a woman who you admire or who has influenced your life.
A woman who I admire in my life is my older sister Claire. Claire is an incredibly hard worker, a loyal friend and a selfless individual. She is a chemical engineer, so she is working in a male-dominated field but she doesn’t let anybody belittle her, boss her around or discredit how hard she has worked to earn her degree and her position.