Open the door and others will follow

I graduated from Saint Mary's University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies. During my four years of study in Halifax, I had unique experiences and forged life-long friendships. I developed my love of football at Saint Mary's—Go Huskies! I had my first—and last—experience skiing and could sit on the "Beach" in the middle of winter—the stairs adjacent to the security desk outside of Loyola residence, which was the meeting place for students from the Caribbean. It was also at Saint Mary's that I took a class which set me on a career path I could never have imagined.

It all started on a cold, crisp fall morning in a classroom in the Loyola Building. The class was called Gender and Development. Over the years, I have tried to recall what prompted me to take that class. I don't remember knowing anything about gender or about development issues. I likely took the course, assuming it would be exciting and an easy elective. Whatever the reason, that class, and more specifically, that professor, were the catalysts for my passion for women's issues and set my life on a path toward a career in diplomacy.

Until recently, I did not remember the professor's name—it is thanks to the fantastic team at Saint Mary's that I now know that the class was taught by Krishna Ahooja-Patel, a distinguished trade unionist, lawyer, feminist, and activist who worked for many years at the International Labour Office (ILO), in Geneva and other UN agencies. Her many outstanding accomplishments were lost on my naïve twenty-something-year-old self, desperately trying to find her way in the world.

But I remember vividly being in awe of her. She was poised, confident and soft-spoken. Her scarves were always vibrant with hues of red and blue, perhaps a nod to her Indian heritage. She spoke with an ease and eloquence that drew me in. I remember the passion and intimacy with which she spoke about her work at the United Nations, she opened the door to a world beyond my imagination, and I wanted to follow in her footsteps.

Throughout the class, Professor Ahooja-Patel spoke passionately about her work in rural India, where she spent the summer months when on break from the UN. She shared stories and spoke of her experiences teaching women how to read and create plans for businesses that would improve their lives and that of their families. I vividly recall her saying, "When I am working with women in India, I need so little; life is simple. All I need are simple clothes. When I'm in New York, I need many things just to get through the day." Twenty-eight years later, those words still resonate with me. They remind me to be intentional and focused on living a purpose-driven, people-centred life and not on material things as a path to happiness.

I have thought about that class many times over the years, and it brings to mind the quote, "You can't be what you don't see." This quote is often used to draw attention to the importance of female representation and diversity in all spaces. Until that class with Professor Ahooja Patel, I wanted to pursue a career in journalism. I never envisaged a career in international development or diplomacy. I did not know of any prominent women working in those fields. I had no reason to believe that a diplomatic career was possible for me—a girl from the Caribbean who was the first person in her family to go to university. Professor Ahooja-Patel opened my eyes to the many issues confronting women around the globe and the need for more significant gender equity. I wanted to work in a related field, give voice to women's many problems and work towards finding a solution.