As Co-CEO, Head of Media for Women of Influence, Stephania is able to dedicate her time to two of her passions: women’s advancement, and storytelling. She believes that stories have the ability to inspire, educate, and connect individuals, empower women, and enlighten today’s leaders — accelerating positive change towards gender equality and a more inclusive future for all.
FWM: You have spent your life inspiring, educating, and enlightening today’s leaders. What are your guiding principles today?
I’ve always been passionate about equality, but I didn’t ‘officially’ enter the diversity and inclusion space until about six years ago when I joined Women of Influence — and I’ve been on a learning journey ever since. Always be learning is one of my guiding principles, because I don’t think you can approach equity with a static mindset. There is always new research, new ideas, new approaches, and new stories that can help inform advocacy efforts. And with respect to that work, my most important guiding principle is inclusion must include everyone. If I only succeed in moving towards greater equality for women who are privileged in every way but their gender, then I’ve failed.
FWM: As the Co-CEO, for Women of Influence, why is gender equality and inclusion so critical in our current climate?
When the pandemic first hit, I had high hopes that it would push us in the right direction. A quick adoption of more flexible work, a growing conversation around empathy — both of those things had the potential to help gender equality. Sadly, a few months in, and we’re not seeing that at all. Women are taking on more of the caregiving and household responsibilities. More women are losing jobs, or losing hours worked, and it’s not recovering at the same pace as men. Women entrepreneurs are experiencing a greater impact on their businesses. It’s like we’ve been pushing the boulder up the hill for small gains over the last few decades, and it’s about to come rolling back down over us. The only way to move in the right direction, or at least to not go backwards, is to have a gender lens on all our decisions as we rebuild.
FWM: Women are Influential. Share your examples of strength among members.
I have the great fortune in my role of connecting with so many amazing women, that it’s really hard to narrow it down to just a few examples. What I think is most important to point out is that influence and strength don’t have to have such narrow definitions — they aren’t all about privilege and power. Our Top 25 Women of Influence list is the best demonstration of this. We celebrate everyone from CEOs to up-and-coming leaders, from grassroots advocates to global celebrities. Their sphere of influence might be smaller or larger, but their impact is equally important.
FWM: Why do people join the Women of Influence Community?
When we ask our Women of Influence Community what it is we provide them, they always point to two things: inspiration and connection. Women want to believe that their dreams are possible, and a great way to foster that belief is to learn about the personal journeys of successful women that they can identify with. Gender is obviously one part of this, but it’s also every other dimension that intersects with gender, from your race to your age. We work very hard to make sure everyone in our community feels like they belong here, they are represented here, and their success and happiness is supported by us. Stories also connect people, and there’s a sense of belonging to a group that’s fighting for the same future you are, where everybody can show up as their authentic selves to work, and succeed on their own terms.
FWM: Share the Women of Influence initiatives for the upcoming months.
Very shortly after COVID officially became a pandemic, we launched an initiative in partnership with the Business Development Bank of Canada and Cisco aimed at helping women entrepreneurs navigate ‘the new normal’. We’ve made it through the first phase of ‘What Now?‘, and we are now asking entrepreneurs to give us their feedback on what’s next, so we can continue to offer programming that helps them how they need it most. Our other key initiatives are both about sharing our platform to amplify the voices of a diverse group of women. We launched Perspectives in May, which offers ongoing columns, and the Unmasked series of interviews looks specifically at inequality and the pandemic.
FWM: What bothers you about the current world crisis? What can we do collectively to do better?
As much as we like to say, ‘We’re all in the same boat,’ the truth is this pandemic is not affecting everyone equally. Marginalized groups are disproportionately bearing the burden of this pandemic, and that’s true whether you’re speaking about economics, physical health, or mental health. We need more empathy. We need more voices at the table to share lived experiences, erase blind spots, and come up with creative, effective solutions. And we need to start asking, as we rebuild our new normal, who are we leaving behind? This current crisis has the potential to be a gateway to a more equitable future, but we’re not going to get there without intention and determination.
FWM: How have you left a footprint on the world?
It’s an interesting question to think about, because ‘my footprint’ has really not been about me. I spend my energy creating a platform and making a space for others to leave their footprints, and that’s the work that I think has the most important and lasting impact.
Twitter: @StephVaralli
Instagram: @StephaniaVaralli
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephania-varalli/
WOMEN OF INFLUENCE
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