About this Event
Together, let’s create homes and communities where South Asian women in STEMM feel they belong, are empowered to grow, and have the opportunity to thrive.
Join Lotus STEMM for an interactive, in-person workshop exploring how parents, guardians, young women, and those who support them can help create more inclusive pathways in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine).
->> This conversation is for everyone who wants to support the next generation- not just South Asian women and their parents, but the people who influence, encourage and shape their journeys. This is for you.
Why this conversation matters
The messages young women receive at home, the encouragement they experience, and the expectations they encounter can influence how they see themselves and the futures they imagine. While families play an important role in shaping aspirations and confidence, young women may also face broader challenges, including stereotypes, limited access to mentorship, workplace bias and the unequal expectations surrounding caregiving.
How can we better understand these experiences? What can we do differently in our everyday conversations and interactions? And how can we help young South Asian women recognise their strengths, explore opportunities and navigate challenges without feeling limited by assumptions or expectations?
Drawing on insights from Lotus STEMM’s Assume We Can: Break Barriers, Build Opportunities research initiative, this workshop brings lived experiences and research findings into an open, practical conversation about supporting South Asian women in STEMM.
What will we explore?
Through story-based learning, guided reflection and collaborative discussion, participants will have an opportunity to:
- Understand lived experiences: Explore what South Asian women in STEMM have shared about mentorship, cultural expectations, workplace bias, and caregiving responsibilities.
- Reflect on family influences: Consider how everyday messages, assumptions, and expectations can shape young women’s confidence, choices, and aspirations.
- Start meaningful conversations: Reflect on how we talk with young women about their interests, abilities, educational choices, and career possibilities.
- Recognise barriers and opportunities: Look beyond individual experiences to understand how broader social and cultural expectations can influence pathways in STEMM.
- Identify practical ways to offer support: Share perspectives and consider small, meaningful actions that can help young women feel encouraged, included, and supported.
Using a reflective approach, we will look beyond individual experiences to consider how the beliefs and assumptions we inherit, reinforce, or challenge can shape opportunities across generations.
Who should attend?
Parents, guardians, young women, educators, mentors and anyone interested in supporting more inclusive pathways in STEMM are welcome.
You do not need a background in STEMM to participate. Whether you are supporting a young person exploring their interests, navigating your own educational or career journey, or simply looking to better understand the experiences of South Asian women in STEMM, there is a place for you in this conversation.
What will you take away?
Participants will leave with new perspectives, practical ideas for more supportive conversations and a free Parent’s Guide to help continue the learning beyond the workshop.
**There will also be exciting lucky draw prizes and snacks will be provided.
Event details
- Interactive, in-person workshop
- Duration: 1.5 hour
- Cost: Free
- Take-home resource: Free Parent’s Guide, Lucky Draw Gifts
- Refreshments: Light lunch
- Registration: Advance registration is encouraged, as space is limited.
Please Note:
This session will be videographed. Participants may be invited to share their perspectives as part of the discussion, but participation in recorded contributions is optional. You may choose not to be recorded and the event team will provide further information about the arrangements and consent process.
We look forward to welcoming you for a thoughtful and engaging conversation about how we can help create a future in which South Asian women in STEMM feel supported, see possibilities for themselves, and have the opportunity to thrive.
About the initiative
Assume We Can: Break Barriers, Build Opportunities is a Lotus STEMM research initiative exploring systemic barriers experienced by South Asian women in STEMM in Canada. By bringing lived experiences and research insights into conversations with families and other stakeholders, the initiative aims to support reflection and action toward more inclusive educational and career pathways.
Acknowledgements
Funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada. Led by Lotus STEMM.
Event venue & nearby stays
Brampton, Canada
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