Voices of Empower'em
These stories belong to us.
Real words from mentors, mentees, and community members, shared in their own time, in their own words.
“Having individuals who have shared experiences, and being able to share and learn from one another, it created a beautiful space of learning, growth, and joy. It's a powerful feeling of validation, having someone else be able to put words to something you're also carrying.”
Aimen · OWF Mentor
From the community
In their own words.
“Empower'em has not only enabled the mentees to learn. It's given the mentors an opportunity to grow too. Thank you for the incredible experience and a loving community.”
Dania · OWF Mentor
More from the community.
Being yourself
OWF Mentee
“I felt like I could be myself around all those women and share my stories and growth journey in a very organic way.”
Jumana
Self-discovery
OWF Mentee
“I was impacted most at how I got to know myself in 24 weeks. I recommend this program to any WOC looking for a supportive and kind community.”
Mairo
Safe space
OWF Mentee
“I am happy to be part of a safe space for women where we can be ourselves and there's no judgment.”
Bushra
Two-way growth
OWF Mentor
“I feel I was able to learn from my mentee just as much, if not more than they may have learned from me.”
Ivana
Connection
OWF Mentor
“As women of colour, we were able to connect on many different levels. I wish I had had someone to walk with me in this way when I needed support.”
Nayla
First-time mentoring
OWF Mentor
“As a first-time mentor, I not only built confidence but also refined my skills while forming a meaningful connection with my mentee.”
Aska
What comes up most
The themes our community keeps coming back to.
Confidence
Trusting yourself in rooms you've already earned
Identity
Navigating who you are across multiple worlds
Belonging
Finding your people without having to shrink
Family and culture
Holding what was passed down while building what's yours
Career navigation
Your terms, your pace, your professional path
Mental health
Holding the weight without doing it alone
Self-advocacy
Knowing your value and learning how to name it
Community
What gets built when people show up for each other
Looking for guides, templates, and recordings built for this community?
They live in our member portal. Join the waitlist to hear first when the portal opens and get first access to Circle membership spots.
What our community is reading
Books, podcasts, and things that have stayed with us.
Recommendations from women in the Empower'em community, started by our team and growing over time. More coming as our community adds theirs.
Novel
Homegoing
Yaa Gyasi
A sweeping story of two half-sisters and the generations that follow them. About legacy, identity, and what gets passed down, intended or not.
Recommended by Nayaelah · Founder
Novel
A Place for Us
Fatima Farheen Mirza
A Muslim-American family, a wedding, and everything left unsaid. About belonging, faith, and the complexity of being caught between worlds.
Recommended by Nayaelah · Founder
Non-fiction
Atomic Habits
James Clear
Practical and grounded. About how small changes build into real ones. Useful when you're in a season of building, even slowly.
Recommended by Nayaelah · Founder
If you need support
Our mentors care deeply and they're not clinicians.
Mentorship holds a lot, but it isn't therapy. If you're navigating something that needs professional support, these resources are a starting place. Free, confidential, and available to Canadians.
General crisis support
Distress Centre Ottawa
Free, confidential 24/7 crisis and emotional support for the National Capital Region.
613-238-3311Culturally-specific support
Across Boundaries
Mental health support organization serving Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities through anti-racist and culturally informed care.
416-787-3007Black Mental Health Canada (Breathe Crisis Line)
Culturally responsive crisis support designed specifically for Black communities across Canada.
1-800-917-0272Black Youth Helpline
Helpline providing culturally relevant support, referrals, and advocacy for Black youth and families across Canada.
416-285-9944Caribbean African Canadian Social Services (CACSS)
Community support organization offering culturally responsive services for Caribbean and African Canadians, including women and families.
416-740-1056Nisa Helpline
Confidential, anonymous peer counselling for Muslim women across North America, by Muslim women.
1-888-315-6472HF Care
Asian mental health and wellbeing organization offering culturally grounded care in multiple languages.
hfcare.caHope for Wellness Helpline
National crisis and emotional support service for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people, available 24/7.
1-855-242-3310Language-specific support
Fem'aide
A 24/7 French language support line for Francophone women experiencing violence, including newcomers and racialized women.
1-877-336-2433Distress Centres of Greater Toronto
English crisis line available 24/7. Multilingual support available Monday to Friday, 10 am to 10 pm, in Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi.
416-408-4357Inspired by these stories?
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