Our Story
We’re creating workplaces where we can thrive. Accelerate Her Future is a purpose-driven virtual career accelerator providing tailored programs by and for Indigenous, Black, and racialized women pursuing careers in business and STEM while building networks of solidarity and action.
Propelled by Professional and Lived Experience
The lived experiences of racialized women have shaped us since we were founded in 2018. Our Founder, Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi, is a racialized, first-generation immigrant woman with decades of experience in the corporate and academic worlds. As a researcher, she focuses on the experiences of racialized immigrants, especially women, in the workplace.
Founding member Sumayya Daghar was instrumental in early strategy and a design session that really kicked things off. We convened racialized women to better understand what they experience in career development and the workplace and what they needed to grow in their careers. This design session was where we found our first inspired supporters, as several attendees stepped up to co-create with us what would eventually become Accelerate Her Future.
Intersectional Gender Equity:
The Heart of Our Work.
We look at gender, race, ethnicity, faith, ability, and other identity markers together to address the unique experiences of our community. That’s what intersectional gender equity means to us. We do this because we rarely reap the benefits of gender-first approaches that focus on gender above all else. Being intersectional is the opposite of “one-size-fits-all.”
It’s why we work primarily with Indigenous, Black, and racialized women in our programs and offerings. And it’s why we say “Indigenous, Black, and racialized women,” to recognize the distinct histories that Indigenous, Black, and racialized women have with white supremacy.
Where We Are Now
Since our launch, we’ve grown as a team and organization. In 2020, Natasha Sidi came on board after a long stint in tech, where she had wanted to create a place where racialized women could feel like they belonged. Since joining our team, Natasha’s role has evolved to working alongside Golnaz to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change.
Today, we are creating equitable workplaces and accelerating careers across Canada and have served more than 1200 women since our inception. We’ve co-created several programs, services, and events with Indigenous, Black and racialized women in our Advisory Group and community as well as our partners looking to advance intersectional gender equity.
Two years before Accelerate Her Future was founded, Golnaz was ready to act on what she’d known for a long time: that we need to transform workplaces so that they are places where Indigenous, Black, and racialized women can thrive. Now, we’re tackling intersectional gender equity from both sides: by addressing workplace barriers holding Indigenous, Black, and racialized women back and also supporting them to navigate the system as it is around them. We couldn’t be more thrilled to see this becoming a reality over time and will keep tirelessly working to create equity for all.
Awards and Recognition
Our Philosophy
Challenging the Status Quo.
Supporting Indigenous, Black, and racialized women to succeed in their careers is crucial. But we’re here to fix broken systems, not fix women. We’re here to serve our community so that they can navigate their careers with greater impact. We also seek to create equitable workplaces where women can thrive. The change we seek goes deeper than representation, and that is to create equity for all.
Solidarity, Not Charity.
We and our work are not charity. Accelerate Her Future is a for-profit social enterprise. This was an intentional decision and an act of agency to redefine deficit narratives. We engage with those we work with in equitable partnership. Standing in solidarity with us means we work side-by-side.
Changing the Power Dynamics
We continually seek to redistribute resources and power.
- Our Founder’s pay is capped at 3-times the lowest-paid team member
- We donated 25% of profits in 2022 to Indigenous- and Black-led charities and non-profits
- We invested the other 75% back into growing our operation and mission
Nothing About Us, Without Us
We take a “nothing about us, without us” approach in our work, and strive to embed it deeply in our DNA. We centre the voices, experiences, and expertise of Indigenous, Black, and racialized women in every aspect of our work, whether it’s our team, our Advisory Group, or our community.
Our Mission
We create systemic change by accelerating equitable workplaces where Indigenous, Black and racialized women can thrive.
Our Vision
We envision a country in which Indigenous, Black, and racialized women are fully participating at all levels of leadership in their careers.
Our Values
Our values guide how we work together, show up for each other and our community, and make decisions.
Authentic Voice
We are compassionate, present, and appreciative in how we listen and engage in real talk. We centre marginalized voices, perspectives, and lived experiences.
Courageous Action
Each of us can lead from where we stand. We show up and take action — even when we’re afraid. We advance the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and the work of the MMIWG2S+ movement.
Compassionate Engagement
We put relationships above short-term results and lead with compassion to foster trust, safety, and a sense of belonging. We support each other’s strengths and growth and invite people and organizations who will share our values and uplift our work.
Transformative Solutions
We think long-term, and co-create solutions with the people most impacted by the issues we seek to solve.
Our Funders
Explore Our Programs
Impact Reports
We measure success beyond checklists, social media impressions, and contact lists. We measure success by how much trust, belonging, and impact we foster.
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