When we celebrate International Women's Day, we sometimes focus on powerful figures in entertainment and politics and forget to think about the incredible women in our own lives.
To celebrate the occasion, some of the writers at Narcity want to let you know about the women in our lives that deserve to be celebrated on March 8 but also on every day of the damn year.
My sister
Lisa and her sister.
My sister is an inspiration and one of the many women in my life who deserve to be recognized for their kindness, resilience, strength and badassery, not just on International Women's Day but every day of the year.
In 2021, she suffered a tragic loss when she had a miscarriage. During what was a heartbreaking time for her, her husband and our family, I could not have been more proud of her or inspired by her.
She showed me that you can be strong but cry, you can be independent but ask for help, and you can be sad but move forward through your grief, even if it's just one small step at a time.
Some people say that we're twins born eight years apart because of how similar we are and I take that as the greatest compliment because if I'm anything like her then I know I can handle everything. - Lisa Belmonte
My mom
Helena and her mom.
On International Women's Day (and every day), I want to celebrate my mom.
Throughout my life, she always taught me to dream big and that nothing in the whole world is ever out of reach for me — something I carry with me every single day.
She is a strong, independent, passionate, smart, brilliant lady and I couldn't imagine life without her support, guidance and mom-ing.
Thank you for your love, life lessons, cups of tea and every moment in between. - Helena Hanson
My grandma
Tristan and his grandmother.
Over the last year, I've gained a newfound respect and admiration for my grandmother, Jessica. She was, of course, always there while I was growing up, babysitting me while my parents worked, always giving me tea and cookies when I visited her.
But, she came from an old-school Scottish background, so when her husband said, "We're moving to Canada," she had no say in the matter — something I don't think I ever fully understood until I became an adult.
She ultimately came to Canada, raised three hellion boys and gave birth to my mother, the only one in the family born on Canadian soil.
She sacrificed a lot coming here, some of which she likely didn't want to, such as closeness with her family. But now, as she reaches her mid-80s, I realize that those sacrifices have allowed her children and grandchildren to flourish with love.
Her story is one I find myself thinking about often and is one I want to be told on International Women's Day. - Tristan Wheeler
My sister
My sister, Hana Nabulsi, has done two Ironman races in six months, and she's only 25 years old. Her story is quite inspirational. What's even more astonishing is that she found her passion for life and won't let anything stand in her way.
She started her journey back when she felt uninspired, in the hunt for something new, right out of university and straight into COVID-19, which is not an easy transition for many.
Hana started an Instagram page called Trihanathon, where she now inspires many people.
In fact, she convinced five other people to join her in Mexico for her first Ironman, and they passed the finish line alongside her.
In the meantime, while trying to find a job, train and live her life, she raised over $24,000 for the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, as well as started her own charity called Triathlon With A Purpose, where she helped raise money for children in a Gaza refugee camp.
She not only inspires me to reach for my goals, but she walks into a room and motivates everyone else in there too. - Mira Nabulsi
My mom
Alex and her mom.
My mom is a force to be reckoned with. Her unwavering confidence and ability to always say it like it is (even when I don’t want to admit when she’s right), is part of why I find her utterly extraordinary.
She moved to Calgary from Venezuela when she was just 23, fresh out of law school, and without a clue of how to cook (not even pasta — her words, not mine!).
My mom had me when she was doing her MBA, and she was able to juggle looking after me and completing her master's — even if I apparently blew a raspberry in the face of one of her profs when she was asking about her marks.
My mom’s work ethic has always inspired me. Even during the hard times, she never let it weigh her down and she takes on each challenge with such grace. She is one of my best friends, and I’m really proud to be able to call her my mom. - Alex Arsenych
My mom
Sarah and her mom.
My mom's story is not very different from that of many newcomers to this country and I think that's what makes it extraordinary. She moved to Alberta as a teenager from Guyana and lived with her aunt and uncle for a few years — imagine the shock of living in a Caribbean country all of your life and then dealing with an Edmonton winter!
She always wanted the best for my sister and me when we were growing up, and still does to this day. When I look back at my childhood, some of the things I thought she was perhaps overly strict about were choices she was making to ensure we could reach our full potential in a country where we had more opportunities than she did.
My sister and I have both flown the proverbial coop but she continues to mom us so hard, even if it's from afar now. She still occasionally texts me to make sure I've eaten, and whenever I go home to visit, she stacks me and my freezer up with enough food to last me a month. I could not imagine my life without her. - Sarah Rohoman