The women’s advocate shares her story and experiences as a woman for International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 10 at George Brown College (GBC), with special guest Ettie Rutherford. The author of All Women Are Worthy: Why Perch Like a Chick When You Can Soar Like an Eagle?, Rutherford is a retired elementary school principal who speaks about her experiences as a women’s advocate.

A Jamaican immigrant who strived to be a teacher since her early years, Rutherford is the recipient of the Kay Livingstone Award for her work with the Congress of Black Women of Canada, and holds two certificates of recognition from Markham City Council and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney for her contribution to multiculturalism.

Rutherford was raised by her grandmother, and was surrounded by her aunts and uncles growing up, which presented her with many opportunities and taught her to stand up for herself starting at an early age.

“I was always there to gain strength from my aunts and uncles. I was never verbally pushed around by other kids and they were always saying, ‘Yes you can do that, yes you can do that,'” says Rutherford.

Rutherford graduated from high school only three months before getting pregnant with her first son.

“I went from role model to warning. I was that girl that parents would point at with their children and say, ‘Don’t turn out to be like her,’” says Rutherford.

She moved to Alberta in 1967 with her then husband and three children to pursue a teaching career, although her husband resented her motivation.

“My husband wanted me to stay home and I said, ‘No, it has always been my plan to be a teacher,’ and he was adamantly against it because he didn’t want a wife who would think for herself,” she says.

After overcoming an emotionally abusive relationship with her children’s father, Rutherford took a stance and transformed into the strong-willed woman she is today. She continued on with her teaching career and brought her fourth child, a daughter, into the world.

In 1988 Rutherford moved away from the west to Toronto, but not until she had left words of wisdom with her children. Rutherford is fortunate to have children who learned from their experiences and from watching a “woman on the go,” as she refers to herself.

During her talk to men and women at GBC, Rutherford painted a picture of the struggles of women around the world. With exuberant and thought-provoking photos, Rutherford was able to illustrate what women go through and overcome in their lifetime.

At one point during the talk, Rutherford was overcome with a wave of emotion mid-speech, and she wasn’t the only one in the room who was feeling moved. The audience was blown away by her story and that is just the kind of reaction she was looking for.

“So many women have said I’m brave to tell my story. Women say they feel more able to talk. The positive response I get from women is what keeps me going because I just love and am passionate about women’s affairs and I know that it’s women that keep everything going,” said Rutherford about the root of her motivation. “ ‘Yes I can,’ that’s my motto, even before Obama was saying it. My uncles used to say it to me, even if I hesitated he would say, ‘Go back and do it.’ ”

If there is one thing Rutherford knows best, it’s how to be strong. Her motivation lies in the positive responses she receives from people that have read her books and that have followed her life journey.

She is a woman of many talents, but most importantly she will not back down or accept women being degraded.

“Intelligent men want their wives to be empowered by people like me because they want an intelligent wife. Women are the ones who bring about the changes,” she says. “They are the ones who lead in a quiet way without even understanding that they are leading. Women have gotten the vote, they’re running countries; they’re going to war and flying planes.”

Rutherford is coming out with her second book this summer, All Women Are Worthy: Let’s Rise To Success.