Women of Inspiration 2020 by Canadian Immigrant magazine

Earlier this year, before the world changed on us, I was invited to be featured on the seventh annual "Immigrant Women of Inspiration" special by Canadian Immigrant magazine, that was to be published in April 2020; Ramya Ramanathan, the magazine's Editor, explained that in honor of International Women’s Day, they wanted to shine the spotlight on women who are Changemakers – leading voices who have served and continue to serve as an inspiration in so many different fields. I was glad to participate. They ended up picking five women from different backgrounds, countries of origin and generations whose voices are inspiring others and making a positive impact.

It is really an honor for me to be in the company of such impressive and accomplished women as Muzna Dureid, youth activist on the human rights of refugees; Laura Mannix, an advocate of immigrants, refugees and other marginalized populations; Lata Pada, performing artist, and Nelly Yanwen Gong, community advisor, and cancer survivor. 

Below is an extended, edited version of my original interview, conducted by Lisa Evans. I am hoping you can make the time to read all the interviews, so you learn a bit more about the inspiring and uplifting stories of Muzna, Laura, Lata and Nelly. I hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to add your own thoughts or questions to the comments section.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement!

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As a female in male-dominated industries, Alma Arzate says she struggled to discover her voice in the early days of her career. “I was doing great on a one-on-one basis, but during meetings, I couldn't find the courage or know-how to break into discussions to offer my perspective. When I did break in, sometimes one of my peers would just take what I had said, repackage my idea and get it accepted as if it came from that individual all along,” says Arzate.

Having a voice certainly doesn’t seem a problem now. Arzate has stood on stage as a speaker at numerous events and conferences including as a keynote speaker at the Schulich School of Business, Master of Supply Chain Management Program in 2019 and continues to inspire others to find their voice.

While Arzate could have simply allowed her frustrations early on to get her down, instead she became an active learner. “I observed and learned how they presented these ideas so effectively”, she says.

Gathering key information before an important meeting, making notes, speaking deliberately and apperaring in command of her emotions were just some of the techniques Arzate used to find her voice. Arzate now finds herself in the position of facilitating the very meetings she once struggled to speak out in and uses her experience to help other women who may be facing similar challenges. “I try to make these meetings a safe environment for other women to speak, acknowledge their contributions, and invite them into the discussion if I sense they are hesitating to say something. I want all of my team members to feel appreciated and engaged, as the diversity of our perspectives can only make us stronger,” she says.

Arzate is originally from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Juárez is the sister city of El Paso, Texas, United States. Together with the surrounding areas, these 2 cities form the second largest binational metropolitan area on the Mexico-U.S. border, with a combined population of over 2.7 million people. There is a well-established maquiladora industry in town, and a lot of large, multinational companies have operations there. She had a thriving career as a supply chain manager for Johnson & Johnson back home, but as Juarez became a more dangerous place to live, she and her husband decided they wanted to raise their young family in Canada. “We felt we shared a lot of the same values and beliefs, and we admired the Canadian Government’s welcoming attitude towards immigration,” says Arzate.

Arzate relocated to Canada in 2007, settling in Markham, Ontario. Arzate made a conscious decision to step back in her career upon immigrating to seize a job opportunity that was to bring her to Canada, but soon after, she began to climb the ladder. She was promoted to manager, project management in 2009, then senior manager, supply chain in 2011, followed by director, supply chain planning in 2012 at Apotex Inc., a generic pharmaceutical manufacturer in Toronto. She is still with Apotex Inc., but now as a global director, supply planning, leading a team of four managers and 24 supply chain professionals.

Arzate didn’t have too many female leaders to look up to when she began in the industry. “The only role models I had at the time were my managers and other senior leaders and most -if not all- were male,” she says. When she was promoted to a people leader role for the first time back in 2004, she was only one of four female managers in a group of 104 operations and supply chain managers. "Early on I tried to establish authentic connections with my new peers, and also, to give my direct reports what I believed they wanted: clear expectations, empowerment, support, trust, developmental opportunities, timely feedback, recognition, and sometimes, just a sympathetic ear to commiserate. This is what I aimed to be for them, the kind of leader I wanted for myself as an individual contributor", she says. Arzate also focused on the value she could bring as a woman. “Women are known to value relationships with others,” she says. “Bringing this trait into the workplace can result in engaged and productive cross-functional teams contributing to the bottom line of the company.” Being an empathetic listener, the ability to understand opposing viewpoints, enabling a collaborative environment for creativity and decision making are just some of the feminine traits Arzate says women bring into the workforce that have helped her to grow in her career.

Arzate is passionate about sharing her insights and lessons learned with students. She is an active supporter of the student body of the Rotman School of Management, George Brown College and Conestoga College and has spoken at numerous student conferences and mentored her Co-op students on a 1:1 basis. “This is an extremely rewarding way for me to give back to the profession, as I believe I am helping pave the way for the future leaders that will eventually take our spots,” says Arzate.

In 2019, Arzate was selected by the Supply Chain Canada association as part of their first-ever 100 Influential Women in Canadian Supply Chain list. “It was truly an unexpected honor,” she says. “To me, it served as a recognition for the challenging journey that brought me where I am today. It also opened doors for me to embrace Supply Chain Canada. Besides being a panelist for their events, I have also been involved in organizing multiple educational events that brought together over 150 supply chain professionals across the York Region for development and networking. In September 2019, I was appointed by their Board of Directors to serve a 2-year term as part of the Ontario Institute's Member Engagement Committee. And most recently, I was asked to act as the Chair for the National Selection Committee for their new initiative to recognize "Canadian Immigrants Impacting Supply Chain" in 2020.”

But most importantly, Arzate says she was grateful for this recognition from Supply Chain Canada, as it served as an inspiration to others. “As I shared this honor in social media, internationally trained supply professionals that have made Canada their new home reached out to me to say that it gave them hope; hope that if a fellow immigrant that came to Canada 13 years ago as a project manager could receive this honor, then they could believe they also have what it takes to achieve their goals and dreams; people said it gave them hope that Canada is an inclusive country that embraces diversity and provides opportunities for the people that are willing to work hard for them; and also, hope that all their sacrifices, leaving their culture, friends, and family behind will pay off at the end.”

When asked what words of advice would she had to women, particularly newcomer women, about succeeding in any industry, Arzate says: “You need to believe in yourself. If you don’t, it would be very hard for others to do so. Try to keep a positive attitude. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Seek mentors within the community that can give you insights into the Canadian workplace and culture. Get involved with industry associations in your field of work, and find opportunities to volunteer for them or within your new community. Attend as many professional development and networking events as you can. This will help you to make new connections and expand your local network. You never know where a helping hand is going to come from. The best and most rewarding part is, as you re-establish yourself here in Canada, you will then be in a good position to pay it forward and become a helping hand to others!”.

– Lisa Evans

https://issuu.com/canimmigrant/docs/canadian_immigrant_-_april_2020

#womenleaders #2020changemakers #CanadianImmigrants