The Great Hall of Trent University’s Champlain College will soon be shining brightly with inspiring, change-making, and powerhouse local women in business.
At its inaugural — and now sold out — Luminary Awards for Women in Business luncheon on Thursday, May 8, the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating the 56 women in the city and county of Peterborough who were nominated by their peers for the awards, and announcing the five recipients of the awards that recognize both entrepreneurs and employees.
“It’s really important to be surrounded by like-minded women,” says chamber board chair Susan Dunkley. “That fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment and I think it’s wonderful to have an opportunity to gather and share experiences and celebrate everybody’s achievements.”
With Luminary Awards co-founder Karen August acting as emcee, the event will welcome Emily Whetung-MacInnes as the keynote speaker.
Currently the Director of Indigenous Partnerships for Ontario Power Generation, Whetung-MacInnes is well known in the community as the former Chief of Curve Lake First Nation and, prior to that, as a practising lawyer.
“Emily is a person who shines brightly, and that is of course the theme of the Luminary Awards — women who are shining brightly in the community,” says Dunkley.
As for Whetung-MacInnes, who is also a mother of two boys, she is committed to supporting other women and recognizing the work that they’re doing, particularly in Indigenous communities.
“It’s really important to me to support primarily other Indigenous women — Indigenous peoples in general and women in general — but to be a supportive voice and offer a supportive space for people who are trying to make change,” she notes.
Specifically, Whetung-MacInnes says she was drawn to the idea of the awards stream celebrating not just the “best of” women in business, but also the everyday things women are doing to effect change, whether by changing perspectives and attitudes or by making systemic change.
“I love the idea of changing the way that we interact and being supportive of the people who are changing the way the world works,” she says.
Whetung-MacInnes also recognizes the need for female leaders to guide those who are just starting out, noting that Chief Laurie Carr of Hiawatha First Nation was that person for her when she first became Chief of Curve Lake.
“(She) made me feel welcome and introduced me to leadership in general, but also to other female leaders,” she says. “She helped create a space that I could walk into, and I was so grateful for that.”
Whetung-MacInnes adds that she has had “so many incredible female role models,” including her mother, who was a principal with Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and a mother to five daughters.
“She always encouraged us to take up the space that we were entitled to — or should be entitled to — and to make sure that it was the right place for who we are,” she says. “She was always very much (saying), ‘If it’s the right space for your voice, make sure that your voice is heard.'”
“One of the things I think the Luminary (Awards) committee has heard me say in the past was, as women, we have to learn to walk through the middle of the door, which just means don’t be shy, and don’t stand around the edges, but take that space. This was a message that my mother has given me since I was just a little girl, and one my father supported as well.”
Whetung-MacInnes highlights the importance of the awards also including the employee categories, which recognize that women making change in the community are not just those in leadership positions but also those who are working behind the scenes.
“You don’t have to be the head of something or the leader of something or the best at something to be a change maker,” she says. “You can have any job at any level of a company, or any role in a community, and you can still make change.”
“I think women are particularly good at this through history, as we haven’t always been recognized and we haven’t always had the influence that we want to or that we should. But it doesn’t matter where you stand in a hierarchy or a system — you have the ability to impact it and can still be a role model.”
That ability to make change is what Whetung-MacInnes will be focusing on during her keynote speech during the Luminary Awards luncheon.
“We’ve had so many women who have created this space for us to have a voice, so it’s important to take that voice,” she says.
“If you don’t have a seat at a table, sometimes you have to bring your own (voice) and, as women, it’s okay to squish over and make space for somebody else, too, or hold their hand if they’re nervous to come through that door with you. That doesn’t take away from what you’re doing, as shining the light on somebody else makes it brighter.”
Along with the keynote speech by Whetung-MacInnes, the inaugural Luminary Awards event will include a catered lunch provided by Trent University, followed by the award ceremony where the five recipients, as chosen by anonymous local community members, will be announced in the categories of Trailblazer – Entrepreneur, Barrier Buster – Employee, One to Watch – Employee, Emerging Entrepreneur, and Legacy.
The physical awards were made by local Douro sculptor Garrett Gilbart using silver and gold-plated trays discarded by clients of Dunkley, who is the founder of Suzi Home Maker, an organizing, downsizing, and transitioning business.
“I can’t tell you how many houses I clear where they have metal and trophies and certificates and it just goes to the landfill,” Dunkley says. “I was excited that we were taking something and recreating it into something new, because I think that’s almost symbolic of our winners. All of our nominees have created something new with themselves, with a business, or with a concept.”
As well as celebrating local women, the Luminary Awards luncheon will also provide ample opportunity for attendees to network and connect with one another.
“The chance to be at the luncheon opens doors for possible mentorship and collaborations,” Dunkley points out. “It’s really important to celebrate the successes that women demonstrate in their personal and professional lives, and this is a chance for us to do that.”
While the event is sold out, a waitlist is available. Contact Tricia Mason, marketing and events coordinator for the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, at tricia@pkchamber.ca if you want to have your name added to the waitlist.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be the presenting media sponsor of the Luminary Awards.
