Elevate Her Conference

What an amazing experience I had at the sold-out Elevate Her Conference 2025: Empowering Changemakers, coinciding with #InternationalWomensDay! It was a fantastic way to honour this special occasion alongside extraordinary women who shared their stories and wisdom. The conference showcased a lineup of inspiring speakers and workshops dedicated to career advancement, leadership, and entrepreneurship. I had the privilege of networking with remarkable women who are actively shaping the future. One of my most cherished experiences was facilitating a workshop on financial literacy, where I witnessed the enlightening moment when participants realized they could take control of their finances. This was truly one of my most memorable moments at the event. Coming together to celebrate one another, embracing vulnerability, and creating space for each other was an incredibly special experience. Huge thanks to BlackWomenConnect Vancouver and the Black Business Association of BC for gathering over 100 Black women to learn, celebrate, and connect. #ElevateHER #WomenInLeadership #BlackEquity #Impact #Vancouver

Still buzzing from the incredible energy at the ElevateHer Conference! ??? A huge thank you to Nerissa Allen, Nataizya Mukwavi & The Elevate Her Conference Team for an absolutely fabulous event! ?? From the powerhouse keynote speakers to the engaging workshop hosts and the incredible attendees who brought their passion and energy—it was truly a day to remember! Grateful for the invitation and opportunity to host The Power of Your Words: Speak Success workshop. ???? Thank you to everyone who joined! Your engagement, insights, and willingness to reflect on the impact of the words we think and speak made it so special. Words have power, and how we use them shapes our mindset, actions, and ultimately, our success. What a beautiful way to celebrate International Women’s Day—lifting each other up and stepping into our power! ?? If you attended, drop a comment below! What was your biggest takeaway? Let’s keep the conversation going! ?????? #ElevateHer #InternationalWomensDay #SpeakSuccess #ThePowerOfYourWords #NeverQuitOnABadDay #Gratitude #Empowerment

What better way to celebrate #InternationalWomensDay this past Saturday than by attending the 2025 Elevate Her Conference ?? held at VCC. The leadership event was high energy and aimed to uplift, inspire, and empower Black women as leaders and changemakers!?? I’m still reflecting on everything I learned from the keynote speakers, workshops, panel discussions, and the importance of representation. It was truly an exceptional day and I left feeling inspired. ?? (Also still thinking about lunch that was so dang good, too - thanks, Calabash!) Looking forward to learning from more Black Lady Trailblazers from around Canada and the U.S. at next year’s conference! ?? Black Women Connect Vancouver Black Business Association of BC #Community #Changemakers #Leadership

My heart is so full. March 8th wasn’t just a conference—it was a declaration. A moment of power, sisterhood, and transformation. And to my sister, Nerissa Allen —Thank you for standing in the gap, for bringing your expertise, and for co-creating something that will leave a lasting imprint. Partnerships like ours remind me that when Black women come together, we don’t just build events—we build movements. To our speakers, sponsors, volunteers, and every single person who supported this journey—thank you. Your investment in Black women is an investment in the future. We are elevating, together. Elevate Her Conference Trish Masenda Mandewo Firina Achor Beamish Sharla Farrell Akorede Bamidele Samia Thompson, aPHRi Idara Udonya Rohene Bouajram Karlyn Percil-Mercieca Jahmeelah (Jam) Gamble

What an incredible weekend in Vancouver! I had the honor of facilitating a sold-out career pivot workshop at the Elevate Her Conference, where I connected with brilliant women ready to take bold steps in their careers. We explored: Personal branding in an evolving job market, especially as DEI spaces shift Odyssey planning—mapping out three possible career paths: staying the course, making things better, and envisioning a future without barriers Communicating strengths and positioning yourself for new opportunities A huge congratulations to Nerissa Allen and Nataizya Mukwavi for organizing such a phenomenal event! The ElevateHER Conference was a massive success, creating an empowering space for women to grow and thrive. This trip to Vancouver was also planned for filming participants for the Black Equity Integration Initiative, a study in partnership with Pitch Better and Dream Legacy Foundation. We’re so grateful for the opportunity to connect with participants from Vancouver and officially complete Year 1 filming of this four-year longitudinal study. This research is critical—it assesses the use of Work Integration Social Enterprises and aims to improve policies and services for those most marginalized, including underrepresented racial/ethnic groups and criminalized individuals. We also had the privilege of meeting with Hogan's Alley Society Miselta I. and Aisha Ismail, who warmly welcomed us and shared the rich history of the area. Learning from them was a powerful experience, and we look forward to building more together. A huge thank you to Amoye H., my incredible co-facilitator, who has also been instrumental in training me in my new role as a Research Project Manager with Pitch Better. I am truly blessed and grateful to work alongside her on this meaningful work, contributing to research that drives real impact. Being part of this journey—empowering individuals through career strategy while advancing research that informs policy—has been deeply fulfilling. Looking forward to what’s ahead! #ElevateHER #CareerPivot #WomenInLeadership #BlackEquity #ResearchImpact #Vancouver #PitchBetter

Happy International Women’s Day from the second Elevate Her Conference. Thanks to Black Women Connect Vancouver and Black Business Association of BC for bringing over 100 Black women together to learn, celebrate, and connect with each other. Kicking the day off with an impactful panel discussion on Leading with Purpose: Strategies for Authentic and Impacful Leadership. “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou #elevateherconference #leadership #blackwomenleading #internationalwomensday2025

The warm hum of sisterhood blended with laughter, softness, and radiance of each woman carrying her unique power and purpose. This is how I chose to spend International Women's Day at the Elevate Her Conference hosted at the Vancouver Community College (VCC). More than an event, it was a sacred space of possibility and pouring into each other—masterfully crafted by visionaries Nataizya Mukwavi from Black Women Connect Vancouver and Nerissa Allen from the Black Business Association of BC. Let me share why this gathering touched my soul... The conference wove magic through every moment: from liberating keynotes that dismantled our limiting beliefs to honest panels where wisdom and vulnerability flowed freely to workshops so compelling I wished for the power to be everywhere at once—absorbing insights ready to implement immediately. This is the profound impact of spaces designed with intention—honouring each woman present, celebrating her significance, and illuminating her path forward. To the extraordinary women who shared their light: As Black women in leadership, we witnessed how our unique approaches reshape organizations through Elise Drayton, MBA's consciousness-raising wisdom, Dr. Nadia M.'s courage to reject exclusionary norms, and Djaka Blais' vision of community-building that echoes into tomorrow. Jahmeelah (Jam) Gamble's electrifying keynote gifted us three powerful tools to embrace our whole selves and voice, acknowledging the boundless talent surrounding us with affirmation cards we'll forever cherish. We left with practical treasures—funding strategies from Nerissa Allen, AI integration techniques from Rochelle Grayson, and countless other workshops that expanded our possibilities. After nourishing our bodies with Calabash's delicious offerings, Melissa Kunye guided us to center through stillness, while Abigail Kibarita-Martens and Fernell Miller sparked connections through dynamic networking. Asha Wheeldon's masterful facilitation unveiled entrepreneurial insights: Melissa's reminder that time sovereignty is precious, Lilian Umurungi-Jung's wisdom to build businesses “not for everyone, for the right one”, and Renita Drakes's guidance to curate our circles with the same care we select our playlists. Karlyn Percil-Mercieca's powerful closing keynote delivered a five-step framework for expanding our dreams, weaving together wisdom codes, grace, and stories that resonated deeply with the truth. Throughout this day of transformation, we reconnected with sisters and embraced new ones. This day reinforced a truth I will carry forward: Whenever an "I can't" thought enters my mind, I will replace it with: "How might I?" May the pause in the reframe expand the acceleration toward change. Thank you for creating this sacred space of sisterhood where we rise together. ?? #ElevateHer #WomenEmpowerment #BlackWomenLead #DreamBigger #UnspeakableLeadership

Feeling truly privileged to be surrounded by these incredible women in our community who are not only making strides in their own careers but also paving the way for others. Elevate Her Conference continues to be a transformative experience—bringing together some of the most powerful voices in the community to learn, connect and grow. A huge thank you to Nerissa Allen and Nataizya Mukwavi for creating such a beautiful and inspiring space filled with powerful programs and impactful moments. Let’s keep supporting and elevating each other every single day! #InternationalWomensDay2025 #InternationalWomensDay #ElevateHer #WomenInLeadership #Empowerment #BlackGirlMagic #WomenSupportingWomen #IWD2025 #blazebeauty #blazebeautycanada

We are thrilled and proud to be part of the Elevate Her Conference, supporting and contributing to this remarkable celebration of women's empowerment ??????Hosted by Black Women Connect Vancouver and the Black Business Association of BC ??Congratulations Karlyn Percil-Mercieca the winner of the BLAZE BEAUTY Goodie Bag, We hope you enjoy our product and that it brings you all the beauty and joy it was made for. Spar? Looking forward for next year’s conference. ????

I had the great pleasure of attending the Elevate Her Conference this weekend. Kudos to Nerissa Allen and Nataizya Mukwavi (and your team) for putting on such a quality event. Any of us who’ve organized large events know how heavy a lift it is to do this work! Congratulations on organizing such an inspiring and affirming event. The details, the panelists, the workshops, the collective warmth and support in the room were remarkable. Those of us who attended are looking forward to the next iteration. Well done…and thank you!