In the past, I have described WORTH’s advocacy work as “lonely.” The WORTH team has been on an uphill battle at times to gain funding, support and recognition for our volunteer efforts. To see the industry commit to diversity, equity and inclusion brings me hope. It is long overdue, but it is progress nonetheless. While the road ahead is long, we are in good company with some fine associations working alongside us.

WORTH is a small grassroots association, but our growth and achievements are worth bragging about. As we approach our fourth birthday, instead of trying to do it ourselves like a stubborn, pig-tailed, wild child, we are asking for help. We are welcoming our first Leadership Circle Member, Accent Inns & Hotel Zed as a proud Champion Sponsor of our efforts.

Alana Dickson is a familiar name to many in BC’s hospitality sector through her role as Executive Director of the BC Hospitality Foundation. We sat down with this powerful marketing leader to understand her journey, advice for up-and-coming leaders and what lies ahead for BC Hospitality Foundation.

March marked Women’s history month and International Women's Day. How did your organizations deliver? Were you asked to stand for a photo in the lobby for social media? I would go out on a limb and say whatever took place, it was likely organized by women and made zero impact towards gender equity.

Did you catch WORTH’s viral moment a few weeks back? Our talented communications team posted a statement in an Instagram story that got a LOT of attention. In simple white writing, the post said “Put the salary in the job description” … 13 times in a row for effect. It is evident from the reactions by some there is still a lot of conversation (and internal barriers to overcome) to have salary transparency.

Happy New Year! Is that tone deaf these days? Are you feeling “happy”? Wherever you’re at, this issue is intended to help offer different sources of support for starting 2022. It is so important that we all have women in our circle who we can learn from and admire. Keep reading to learn more about WORTH’s upcoming programs, which will provide connection and inspiration.

Bring on the sweater weather, apple cinnamon and pumpkin spice. I love the perks of the season and have little concern if that makes me “basic”. Why do we deride women who enjoy comfort and flavour with this label? I once dreaded the shift in season as a tourism HR professional. The fall may result in further employment declines as business levels change, women take on childcare responsibilities and fourth wave COVID-19 concerns continue.

The weather is getting warmer and restrictions in BC are lifting. While we might be ready for a hot girl summer, the industry is definitely not. Many women of WORTH have shared they are unsure if they will ever return to the business they once loved. The tourism and hospitality sector is bracing for perhaps the worst labour shortage ever, which will slow the recovery efforts and further hurt this hard hit industry.

The past year has been devastating for the food and beverage industry, yet it brought unprecedented collaboration, innovation and support. I recently connected with powerhouse Woman of WORTH, Puneet Kochar, Head of Finance for Tacofino, Shift Change contributor and co-founder of the Vancouver Food and Beverage Community (VANFBC) on her leadership insights and experience.

I drove to the Community Centre for my COVID-19 vaccination through a deluge of rain. Despite the miserable weather, I felt light, happy and relieved. Outside I was greeted by a woman with a giant smile, the kind you can’t see behind a mask but know is beaming. She is one of 1400 tourism and hospitality workers across BC working to support the vaccine clinics in partnership with the Provincial Government.

“Leave it at the door” was a common management expression in my early restaurant days. It was implied that once in uniform, any personal problems should be bottled up in preparation for a stressful, fast-paced shift. These words were even posted on the staff bulletin board. It was understood you were to keep quiet about your personal issues and get to work.

On March 8th, 2021 we recognize International Women’s Day across the globe. This year’s theme is “Choose to Challenge”, a call to action to combat injustices in the fight for women’s equality. Since our incorporation, IWD has always been a positive event. A day to celebrate inclusivity and acknowledge the social, political and economic achievements of women. It’s also a chance to gather our community.

After the end of one chaotic year, I found it challenging to set goals, make resolutions, create a vision board or even select a ‘word’ for 2021. How could I consider what might lie ahead while I was trying to make sense of the past? I was still processing a year that left me burnt out and depleted. I did not anticipate to find clarity on the future by tapping the top of my head during an IG live. But that’s exactly what happened…

The first-ever female President and CEO of the British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA), Ingrid Jarrett is an industry powerhouse who has spent the past three decades directly contributing to building the tourism sector across BC and Canada. Her impressive resume spans leadership roles along with volunteer work in leadership positions on several tourism boards. She found time in her incredibly busy schedule to sit down and talk with us about her tourism leadership journey and share her advice for other women in leadership.

WORTH Association is not throwing in the towel. We’re in your corner with many other women who are paving the way and fighting for a fair future. We need you in this fight. We are expanding our Board and Volunteers and are looking for talented women to help join us in 2021. We’re looking for support with our partnerships, sponsorship finances, operations and advocacy efforts.

We had big goals and ambitions when Covid seemingly crashed into our lives. It was hard not to feel deflated, exhausted and burned out but we persisted. We believe in you too. We believe in your resilience, grit and grace as you face the future. We believe in your goals, your ambition and your leadership. We appreciate you for joining our community.

My inbox is full, I’m missing deadlines and cartoons are blaring in the background. I can’t focus on that report, I didn’t attend the webinar and I made another mistake on that document. I can’t be reached and won’t return your text because my five year old is playing games on my phone. Our kids are out there learning about kindness, but we need a lesson in being kind to ourselves. Motherhood is a demanding gig, and handling a global pandemic was not in the job description.

We love being inspired by strong female leaders so when Marsha Walden was promoted to President & CEO of Destination Canada, we were cheering her on. Marsha made time to chat with us about her professional journey and what lies ahead for Destination Canada. In this interview, she shares her advice for other female leaders along with some of her favourite resources for staying on top of an ever-changing market.

At WORTH, we’ve been listening to your stories. Stories of layoffs, job loss, or changing roles. We witness you grieving your old life. We empathize with the feelings evoked by the question, “what do you do?”. Like you, we are hurting and sharing in this loss, unclear on how to move forward. Who are we supposed to be now? What is our worth?

Fucking Bitch.

Profanity thrown around on a regular basis, meant to demean, humiliate and undermine women. Words that intimate and harass. Words we’ve all been accustomed to hearing in our industry.