“Being a woman right now is incredibly exciting. We are at a time when we take inspiration from the generation that came before us who made great strides, and see the possibility of change we can make as the women of now. And today is a timely reminder that we have to continue to celebrate, come together as women, and empower not just ourselves, but everyone we touch.”
Peggy Chan, Chef and Owner of Grassroots Pantry
“Not necessarily a day to be ‘celebrated’, but more so a reminder to all women for why we should never victimise ourselves, to always stand up for equality and justice, to stay soft even when all else in this world is hard. To be kind to ourselves, to one another, and to stay nurturing and utilise our gentle strength for a better future.”
Danielle Giambattista, restaurateur and co-founder of Little Birdy
“Keep going and follow your dreams no matter what. Always remember that you matter, your crazy ideas matter, and that there is no force greater on this earth than a woman following her passion. This is what International Women’s Day represents to me.”
Bonnae Gokson, the brains behind Sevva, Ms B’s Cakery and C’est La B
“I would like to celebrate women throughout history and across nations, as mothers, wives and friends, as well as for their achievements and inner strength.”
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Katie Jackson of Jackson Family Wines
“My mom has always been a real inspiration to both me and my sister Julia. She has been such a fantastic role model, and because of her I grew up feeling as though I had the potential to one day assume a leadership role within the business world.”
Utah Lee, Nike Master and trainer
“I would like to recognise women who are not afraid to speak up for what is right and to get strong physically and mentally, to take control of their lives. And never apologise to being able to kick ass very single day.”
Safia Osman, Black Sheep Restaurants Group Pastry Chef
“This is a tough world for women. I have a kick-ass team of six women and I strive to create a light-hearted, fun working environment, because I want the team to experience, and therefore give, their best. I tell them, it’s gonna be a tough industry to work in. The hours are gonna be long. You’ll probably be the only woman at times. But you know what? Don’t give up. You will have fun, and the hard work will pay off.”
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Charrinn Singdaechakarn (Noom), Executive Chef at Soul Food Thai
“Women are still under-represented in my line of work, and yes, this is more visible than ever at the moment. But I do think that this inequality exists in lots of industries, and people tend to concentrate on ours. The good makes it worth it – the rush of going into the battle of a busy service with your team killing it makes the heat worthwhile. It’s addictive. My approach is to keep doing what I do and constantly strive for better, and with this focus, the rest will follow.”
Charlotte Tsuei, Founder of Caelum Greene
“Women’s Day should be celebrated to commemorate the milestones we have achieved in terms of women’s rights and gender equality. While we’ve come a long way, there are still many parts of the world where women suffer from lack of rights and inequality. For those countries, Women’s Day is a necessary platform for communication and change. Even in the developed world where women enjoy equal rights in a political sense, ongoing issues such as gender pay gap and family paid leave are yet to be properly addressed. International Women’s Day also serves as a reminder that there is still work to be done. ”
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