Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
Spotlights

Celebrating Womanhood: Shachi Kurl

By Petrina D'Souza, 27 Mar, 2020 10:36 PM
  • Celebrating Womanhood: Shachi Kurl

Executive Director of Angus Reid Institute

What does being a woman mean to you? How do you define the word?

Strength.

 

What has been your biggest achievement, personally and professionally, as a woman?

I don’t know that I can define a single biggest achievement. For some it is easily empirical. An award. Being the first to do something. But often the hardest working, most committed individuals are not the ones with shelves full of trophies. They are simply too busy pursuing their calling on behalf of the communities they serve to “toot their own horns.”

Tell me about a milestone that defines your journey.

My journey is about more than one milestone or event — but I would point to my transition away from journalism and into a new career path. It was not an easy decision. You leave a career you love, a career you think you’ll be in for the entirety of your working life. Being headhunted out of the news, trying something entirely different, was terrifying. It was also the best decision I made because I would never have been able to explore new horizons if I hadn’t.'

Did you ever face a challenge simply because you were a woman?

Professionally, even in 2020 we face challenges as women many days. They are too numerous to count. Some obvious, some very subtle to the point where one doesn’t realize that gender may have been a factor at play until much later. I do not dwell on it. It is others who may have a problem with my gender. Not me. I keep my focus on what I am trying to accomplish. It’s a much healthier way to go forward.

What's your advice for women who wish to follow your path?

Some very simple rules to live by:

1) Know your own worth. Don’t let anyone tell you that you aren’t experienced enough, that you aren’t ready, and that you aren’t worth the raise or the promotion you’re asking for. If doors are being closed in front of you — look for other places where they will open. Don’t accept anything less than your own value.

2) Know when to say “no”. We as women have a tendency to always say yes to everything, more work, more responsibility, offering more help. In our community we are conditioned this way, it is what we have been taught. All this will lead to is burnout.

3) Never ever be afraid to say “yes” to something that holds possibility for you.

Ask yourself, what’s the worst thing that will happen? That it won’t work out? That you’ll make a mistake? Big deal. Don’t let fear hold you back.

Brought To You By: Teja Foods

MORE Spotlights ARTICLES

Meet Rick Dhaliwal - The Media Trailblazer

Meet Rick Dhaliwal - The Media Trailblazer
Dhaliwal has over 25 years of experience including stops in Powell River, Prince George, Squamish, Fort St. John and other cities before settling his career in Vancouver. 

Meet Rick Dhaliwal - The Media Trailblazer

Aishwarya Roshan: Playing multiple roles with perfection

Aishwarya Roshan: Playing multiple roles with perfection
“To start with a goal, no matter how small or large. Despite any difficulties you may experience along the way, this goal will always lead you back on the course of pioneering positive change!”

Aishwarya Roshan: Playing multiple roles with perfection

Global Indians - Sejal Hathi

Global Indians - Sejal Hathi
Sejal has played many roles: from social entrepreneur to grassroots organizer to policy advisor to now doctor.

Global Indians - Sejal Hathi

Joban Bal: Saving Lives

Joban Bal: Saving Lives
In his senior year, with the support of classmates, teachers, and local community members, Bal managed to set up the school’s first blood clinic signing up close to a 100 donors in a single day.

Joban Bal: Saving Lives

Introducing: Seema Bansal

Introducing: Seema Bansal
 Offering roses that last up to a year, the floral company boasts of celebrity clients like the Kardashians and has delivered to DJ Khalid and Gigi Hadid, among other VIPs – that too within a short period of its existence. 

Introducing: Seema Bansal

Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa: The Man behind SikhNet

Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa:  The Man behind SikhNet
For many people, religion is just a set of rules, something they ought to do. Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa continues to work towards changing this.

Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa: The Man behind SikhNet