With the arrival of March, we’re proud to celebrate International Women’s Day all month long, and to extend our support, we sat down and spoke with eight creative women to highlight their work in practice.The theme of this year’s IWD is “Break The Bias” — seeking a world free of stereotypes and discrimination where difference is valued and celebrated to create a world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
We were fortunate enough to talk with women from Toronto and Vancouver, discussing their careers, achievements, and upbringings while focusing on their artistry and individuality. They welcomed us into their homes, studios, and workspaces to get a feel about who they are, what they do, and why International Women’s Day is important to them.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about what you do?
My name's Christine and I'm a DJ and producer based out of Vancouver, BC! .
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
International Women's Day is a day to celebrate how much women have accomplished and a day to recognize that, in terms of equality, there's still plenty of work that needs to be done. It's a day that gives us the motivation we need to keep going — in those moments where we do face discrimination and inequality. It's a day for women to feel empowered to keep chasing after their dreams and to reflect on all the women before us that helped pave the way.
In your experience, what skills have been essential to succeed in your field?
The willingness to learn and always learn. No matter how many YouTube tutorials I watch, I'm never going to know everything when it comes to producing. There's always something you can learn from your peers, no matter where they are in their careers.
How can we encourage more women to pursue entrepreneurial roles/creative careers?
We need more support from our peers! If you're throwing events, add more women to your lineups. Seeing more women on stage will encourage more women to get into the music industry.
Which women inspired you growing up and why?
Growing up, I listened a lot to BBC Radio 1 to find my dance music. I was obsessed with Annie Mac's show, her song selection, and she was a real inspiration to why I originally went into radio broadcasting straight out of high school.
Knowing where you are now, what advice would you give to your younger self that's just starting out?
Stop putting things off because you're afraid or feel like you don't know what you're doing. Take the time to hop into your DAW every day and make something. It doesn't need to sound good, but you'll still learn something new every time you open that project.
Do you have a favourite moment from Nike’s longstanding history of empowering women?
A couple of years ago, there was a Nike [Dream Crazier] ad that had Serena Williams as the voiceover and she said, "Turns out, people said it was crazy for women to run marathons, box, dunk, coach an NBA team, compete in a hijab, land a double cork 1080, or win 23 grand slams, have a baby, and then come back for more." That was such a powerful message and it really helped tell the story that even though we may get put down and ridiculed, women can achieve greatness. "It's only crazy until you do it."
For more from Christine Yurie, you can check her out at @christineyurie on Instagram.
