Speaker: Dalia Hussein, Director, Enterprise Architecture, TELUS
Why is International Women’s Day important to you? How are you celebrating?
Dalia Hussein: International Women's Day is important to celebrate women's accomplishments and how far we have come. But it's also a reminder that we have a long way to go. I'll celebrate the day by watching a documentary with my son. It's called Mercury 13. It's about 13 pilot women who were qualified to fly in space, but they were excluded because of their gender.
2022's International Women's Day theme is #BreakTheBias. Can you speak to biases we can work to break in our communities and/or workplaces?
Dalia Hussein: First, let me start by saying, we are all biased, unconscious biases are everywhere. Gender, ethnicity, appearance and many other characteristics influence the assessments we make of people. We should always check our own biases in the decisions we make, and we should also challenge the stereotypes around us.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women as they begin their careers?
Dalia Hussein: Be yourself be authentic. Don't try to copy anyone. Always show empathy and honesty. And concentrate your energy on the joy and passion you get from your work, your peers, your teams and your customers.
