Newcomer Women Gather for 13th Annual International Women’s Day Event

The Community Connections program at Archway Community Services hosted its 13th annual International Women’s Day celebration at Central Heights Church on February 27th. The event brought together over 150 women for an evening of connection and celebration. One participant, Baljit Kaur, expressed that “International Women’s Day events aren’t just celebrations, they’re powerful entry points into a community. For newcomers, attending an event like this can make a real difference in how connected, supported, and empowered they feel.” 

Attendees arrived to a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with plenty of time to mingle and take part in engaging activities before the formal program began. One of the highlights was an appreciation activity where guests exchanged heartfelt notes with messages like, “I admire your positivity,” “Talking to you makes my day,” “I am so proud of you,” and “You are a very thoughtful person.”  Lively conversations could be heard in the gym as others enjoyed tasty appetizers and treated themselves to a delicious parfait dessert while chatting around their tables.  

During the event, staff from SARA for Women, Archway’s Family Centre, MCC End Abuse, Archway’s Food Justice, and Central Heights Women’s Resource Centre presented material for participants to learn about services for women and their families in Abbotsford.  Women were encouraged to connect with the community around them and access resources as needed.  Many newcomer women are looking for ways to volunteer and support others in Abbotsford even as they continue to settle in their new community and they enjoyed learning from the organizations about available volunteer opportunities.  

“Our theme this year is ‘Forging Our Own Path‘, which connects to the concept of women as water, strong, patient, and quietly powerful. Like water, women persist through obstacles, reshape what’s around them, and move with an unstoppable force that creates new paths for themselves and others,” said Elise Marier, Archway Community Connections supervisor. Participants were invited to reflect on their own settlement journeys in describing their personal connection to the theme: to consider how far they have come and to look ahead towards their future goals for themselves and their families in Canada. 

Archway Community Connections supervisor, Elise Marier (left) and team.

Lenore Baker, daughter to the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Skwa peoples, along with Dawn Blacklock who immigrated to Canada and was ceremonially married into the Matsqui First Nation, opened the celebration with the “Salmon Song” which honours our Coho, Chinook, Chum, Sockeye and Pink salmon relatives. It was taught to them by T’ít’elem Spath – Singing Bear (Elder Eddie Gardner). This song originates from the Gutierrez family from Chewathil First Nation and was chosen this year to honour the celebration’s theme of “Forging Our Own Path,” relating to water.  

Reflecting on her own journey and building on the theme of forging new paths, Manpreet Grewal, Archway Executive Director, Program & Services, shared, “The immigrant experience is challenging; it is a hard experience. Sometimes it leaves us with some wounds. We all carry wounds but learn from those and turn them into wisdom. Follow your dreams, grow, and don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t do it.”

The evening featured a vibrant lineup of performances and speakers, each offering a powerful expression of culture, resilience, and community. Performers from diverse backgrounds shared music, dance, singing and personal reflections, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the women in the audience. 

Cellist and vocalist Klavdiya Sert opened with a rendition of Señiorita by Shawn Mendes & Camilla Cabello followed by From a Distance by Bette Midler. Through her work as a music therapist, she brings healing and connection to those around her. 

Speaker Iryna Bondar took to the stage, sharing her journey through adversity, from divorce and cancer to navigating parenthood with her son with autism and ultimately escaping the war in Ukraine. “I didn’t have hope because hope and trust for me is absolutely different. When you hope and nothing happens, you can be disappointed, but when you trust, you know that everything will go and work for you, so I have trust,” Bondar said to the audience.  

Now living in Canada for three years, she reflected on the power of trust and inner strength, “I’m so grateful to be here and I know that when you work, and live with trust, when you move with trust, everything works for you, because I’m not what happened to me because I’m what I choose to be.” 

An Iranian dance group followed with a performance blending traditional folk songs and choreography. Their piece celebrated themes of love, unity, longing for home, regional pride and community connection.  The dancers shared, “dancing has helped us build an Iranian community here in Canada and support one another as we settled into our new lives. “ 

Vocalist Varsha, entertained the room with her Punjabi performances of “Mein Te Mera Dil Bar Jaani” and “Surmedani.”  

Speaker Akram Ghasemi, originally from Iran and now living in Canada with her family, spoke about courage, community, and shared strength.  She offered a heartfelt message to the audience, “Many of us have traveled a long and hard way to build a new home in Canada. We cry a different story, but we are stronger than we think. When we support one another and lift each other up our community become stronger because when one of us shines, we all shine.” 

The final performance was done by 10 Giddha dancers, celebrating the joyous spirit of Punjabi culture but is also a way of storytelling and reflecting on the lives and experiences of women in the community.  

Lenore Baker and Dawn Blacklock concluding the evening with the Women’s Warrior Song

The evening concluded by welcoming back Lenore and Dawn to close the celebration with the “Women’s Warrior Song”, meant to honour, heal and bring strength to all the women present at this year’s celebration. It is an honour song, gifted by Elder Martina Pierre, Lil’wat First Nation and it brings strength to those fighting for justice and for Murdered, Missing, Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). 

Attendees came together for a dance party, ending the evening in a spirit of joy, unity, and empowerment.  

A heartfelt thank you to our partner, Central Heights Church Women’s Resource Centre as well as to Sevenoaks Shopping Centre, City of Abbotsford, and the Archway Food Bank for donations for our participants.  

Thank you to SARA for Women, Archway Family Centre, MCC End Abuse, Archway Food Justice for supporting the event and for their ongoing work in the community.  

The Archway Community Connections program offers opportunities for newcomers and volunteers to connect at various stages of their settlement journey in Canada. Visit Archway.ca/Connections for more information.