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girls

International Day of the Girl

Today marks the 2016 International Day of the Girl!

CANADA KNOWS
#GIRLSBELONGHERE

Girls and women belong in the seats of classrooms, boardrooms, courtrooms, and press rooms. They belong on the playing field, in the director’s chair, everywhere decisions are made, and anywhere else they choose.

With today’s inspiring day coming to an end, Little Voice wanted to share a short story with you to remind every little girl that anything is possible!

When I first set out to publish Little Voice, I was rejected by publishers and ignored by literary agents. I almost gave up on a goal I always hoped to accomplish because I was made to believe that I did not have what it takes to publish my story. While I had dared to dream big, I quickly saw that society sometimes automatically makes women and young girls shrink their ideas in fear of failure. I decided to push fear aside and chase after my dream regardless of the odds placed before me. Two years later, I have not only surpassed my expectations for Little Voice but I have created a movement that inspires others and supports my community. What a lot people don’t know is that I am not only an author but also a public servant. While I continue to pursue Little Voice on evenings and weekends, and everywhere in between, I am also pursuing a career in government. I believe that young girls and women have the right to decide for themselves where they belong – in government or anywhere else. I have worked extremely hard to become a leader not only in my community, not only in the charities I support, but also within the Government of Canada. I hope to serve as an example to many young girls all across our country, from coast to coast to coast, that women can be exceptional leaders. I am thankful to know many women who have mentored me and supported my growth in and outside of government. Together, we can lift each other up and show the world that #GirlsBelongHere! There may not be enough examples of women in leadership, women in politics, women CEOs, etc… but that should never stop you from filling that void. Be a trailblazer and show the rest of the world why women can and will make a difference!- Amanda Bernardo

“Each generation of women has a responsibility to the next one. What we do pass on has an impact on generations of women to come. Let’s make sure we pass on rights of equality, strength and quality. The current generation of young women seem to able to do just that and much more!”

Learn how you can get involved with #BecauseIamAGirl by visiting Plan International Canada today!

When you rally behind a girl the whole world wins!

biag-support-magenta1

Dream BIG on June 5th!

Two years ago I set out to write a story I hoped would inspire all those who would read it. My book, however, was just the beginning. My goal was and is to create a movement that will positively impact my community. By speaking at events and sharing my story, my goal has been to inspire children and adults alike to be proud of who they are while reminding them to chase their dreams.

Since December 2014, when I first published Little Voice, I have used this platform to give back in any possible way I can; whether it has been by donating books to schools or organizations like CHEO and the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, or by donating my time to speak to kids at the Proud to be Me Fun Day. I also created the Forget Me Not Project, a project that donates a portion of every book sale to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, a cause I hold extremely dear to my heart and have pursued in honour of my grandmother. How does it all relate? Well, my story encourages people to listen to their little voice and the Forget me Not Project reminds people of a disease that regrettably takes this little voice away from many people in our communities and country.

This upcoming June, I am hosting an event that I hope will combine both my desire to inspire and my love of volunteering to create a day where people can interact with the tremendous amount of inspiration in our city all while supporting our local chapter of the Alzheimer Society of Ottawa.

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