Marking International Women’s Day in different ways

By Cali Doran

Last years women’s march through Downtown Belleville. Photo by Cali Doran, QNet News

BELLEVILLE – The Quinte area is honouring women in more ways then one this year.

The International Women’s Day event hosted by the Belleville public library on Thursday. This event will start with a march through downtown Belleville as a way to support women worldwide and end with a discussion with Cyndy Baskin about the importance of gender, race and culture of Indigenous women.

Baskin is an associate professor of social work at Ryerson University, and also serves as the chair of Ryerson University’s Aboriginal Education Council and is the board president of Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto.

Many residences from around the Quinte region are planning to attend the event and promote women’s rights throughout the world.

This event has brought together many different organizations from around the Quinte region said Leah Morgan, a representative from Three Oaks.

“I think it just brings awareness to women’s issues so that people are more conscious of some of the issues that women face, but also your day to day interactions with women, and just more conscious of how women are effected by these issues such as pay equity, violence against women, all sorts of different issues,” said Morgan.

The march and discussion are just part of the local effort to salute women. The Red Cedar Shelter in Tyendinaga did something different. It celebrated its own “Honouring Women’s Day” on March 3.

Sheila Stacey who helped to organize the event, said it’s about pampering and taking care of women. For as little as $10, you get nail and hair care, massages, facials, reflexology and free lunch.

Stacey described it as “everything a women needs to feel pampered.” She said this is the fifth time they have run the event with around 200 people in attendance and great reviews.