Doing her part to create change

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This article was published 10/12/2020 (1833 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Feliciaa Baldner is passionate about human rights.

And it may not have surprised anyone that knows when the 14-year-old St. Vital resident mobilized this passion and started her own foundation called Genequ, which promotes gender equality.

According to the foundation’s website, the youth advocate believes in women’s empowerment and building a gender-equal world. The daughter of a single mother who immigrated to Canada, Baldner has seen the struggles a woman goes through in her pursuit of equality firsthand.

Talking to the Lance recently, the teen said she created the foundation, in part, to promote gender equality and spread awareness. She said she first became involved with promoting gender equality after attending a “girl summit” event two years where she met other girls who were passionate about the subject.

“I felt inspired, and I wanted to learn more about the topic,” said Baldner, a Grade 9 student at Kelvin High School. “I want to do my part to create change. This is the first time I’ve done something like this, and it’s so important to me.”

“I’m a female, and I have my own experiences I can relate to, and I think it’s important for me to be able to do something. Gender equality has been progressing for many years, and it’s a work in progress, but it has still got a way to go.”

To help mark Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, Baldner will hold a virtual fireside chat with Isha Khan, the chief executive officer of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The event will be held from 4:30 to 5 p.m. on Microsoft Teams.

“Isha Khan is relatively new to the position and she’s female, and I’m interested to know what it’s like to be in a such a high-profile and important position,” Baldner said, noting she was nervous about chatting to Khan publicly, but was also relishing the opportunity.

Go online at www.genequ.net for more information. Anyone interested in joining the fireside chat can visit Baldner’s website and RSVP.