By Natasha Sidi
April 10, 2025
Written by Natasha Sidi, Operations & UX Lead, Accelerate Her Future
In 2021, we launched something special at Accelerate Her Future (AHF): the very first cohort of our Fellowship Circle (FC) – a highly curated, 10-week career accelerator created by and for Indigenous, Black, and racialized women in Canada launching their careers in business and STEM. Designed with care and intention, the program focuses on building social capital and sharpening career readiness skills.
Fast forward four years, and we’ve just wrapped up our sixth FC cohort, totalling over 305 Fellows across Canada!
I joined AHF at the tail-end of 2020. I had the privilege of working closely with our incredible team – Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi, Sumayya Daghar, Nadia Allick, Chanel Williams, and Rashmi Venkatesh as we brought the Fellowship Circle to life. Our very first FC Orientation in early 2021 took place over Zoom, with more than 80 Indigenous, Black, and racialized women joining us from coast to coast. The energy in the virtual room was bright, beaming, and full of excitement – and that spark has stayed with us through every cohort since.
Cohort six was no exception! With 50 Fellows from 23 postsecondary institutions and 38 Mentors from 37 organizations, the 10-week program culminated in a celebration event.
As we celebrated the close of our sixth cohort, we hosted a special panel during our Wrap-Up Celebration called “Where Are They Now? The Career Journeys of Fellowship Circle Graduates.” We invited four Fellows from different cohorts to share their growth, their challenges, and inspiring paths they’ve taken since graduating from the program.
Though their stories were each unique, a powerful common thread emerged: every one of them took bold ownership of their career journeys. Here are a few standout insights they shared:
Hoda emphasized the importance of taking initiative and being your own advocate. Since joining the AHF community in 2022, her journey has come to a full circle, having returned as a Mentor.
Temi’s career has taken her from accounting and business into tech – where she now thrives as a Senior DevOps Engineer! Her advice is to explore, experiment, and don’t be afraid to pivot. Upskilling can be a game-changer.
Many post-secondary students look for ways to turn internships into full-time opportunities – but how does one exactly do that successfully? Ruby encouraged Fellows to treat internships as more than temporary roles. Show initiative, ask questions, and leave a strong impression – these are ways to help pave the way for full-time roles.
This quote has stayed with us since the early days of Fellowship Circle. Vaneezeh reminded us how important it is to own your achievements, especially when it comes time to ask for a raise or promotion. She also shared her own approach to networking: hosting “networking over chai” gatherings from home to build meaningful connections on her terms.
Their stories, and those of so many Fellows and Mentors over the years, continue to inspire.
As we reflect on how far we’ve come and look ahead to what’s next, we’re deeply grateful to every Fellow, Mentor, Facilitator, Partner, and Sponsor who’s been part of this incredible journey.
Here’s to many more cohorts, and even more bold career moves to come.
Accelerate Her Future® was founded on land and waters of the traditional territory of many nations including the Haudenosaunee, Anishnaabeg, the Attawandaron, and the Metis within the lands protected by the “Dish with One Spoon” wampum agreement. We respect Indigenous peoples’ deep connections to the land and waters, and affirm our commitment to continued learning while engaging our head, heart and hands to advance the TRC Calls to Action 92 and the MMIWG2S+ Calls to Justice 6.1, 11.1 and 15. We invite you to learn more about the history and presence of the Indigenous communities on the land and waters you gather on and work to build a better future for all. We encourage visitors to our website to learn about the land they are currently on.
