PATRICE OCONNOR, Peel Elementary Teachers’ Local (2017-18)


“Leaders for Tomorrow was a space where women empowered other women to be their authentic selves while leaving room for others to be heard and share their stories. I became part of a supportive and en- couraging sisterhood that celebrated my successes and encouraged me to take on new roles and challenges. I not only learned about my leader- ship style, but more about myself as a woman and activist. Since leaving L4T I have been a school steward, a member-at-large on our executive, an anti-racism and equity commit- tee chair, and I now serve as a local vice-president. L4T taught me what it means to be part of a social justice union and how I can impact change in a variety of leadership roles.”


and how we can redefine what “leadership” looks like. At its inception, the objectives of L4T were:


• to provide information, strategies, sup- ports and skills to women from desig- nated groups to enhance their leadership abilities


• to encourage participants to expand their leadership roles with ETFO in the provincial and/or local arena


• to encourage participants to prepare and apply for senior staff positions within ETFO


• to foster a community of diverse women within the federation to ensure their voices are heard and their issues are addressed


According to Zavitz’s 2019 essay, while


these objectives have evolved over the years in response to “changing political needs of the union and the cycles of progress, resistance, backlash and resilience that af- fect social justice and equity work,” as well as to broaden considerations of leadership beyond the union space, these foundational


10 ETFO VOICE | SUMMER 2025


goals remain at the heart of the program for good reason. Critics may point to a program like L4T and call it unnecessary or exclusion- ary to non-women members; however, the data clearly shows that women remain sig- nificantly underrepresented in ETFO leader- ship roles, just as they were 20 years ago. L4T offers a space where leadership positions are demystified for women members and made into tangible possibilities, where a sister- hood is created to upliſt and support women leaders, and where we can openly dream up much-needed changes, then work together to make those dreams into reality. My experience in L4T was transforma-


tive. As a white, queer, occasional teacher from a smaller northern local, I was removed from the full scope of work ETFO does. L4T helped me feel empowered in both my so- cial and geographical locations; the program facilitators and other participants made me consider how my unique lived experience is an asset. Together, we examined our personal leadership styles, set professional goals, con- sidered various conflict resolution strategies, and practised writing and delivering an elec-


Continued on page 15


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