I don’t think many could say that they were prepared for how quickly things shifted when COVID-19 became a reality in our province. On one Saturday night I was enjoying dinner with friends at one of our favourite local restaurants in Mount Pleasant. The following Saturday, several shops on my street were closing their doors indefinitely.

Shortly after, I learned that BC has the most women-owned small-businesses of any province in Canada, and that they were the fastest growing before the COVID-19 pandemic. I couldn’t help but think how all of this would affect them. All of a sudden small businesses were forced to reimagine how they do business, how they reach their community, how they stay relevant, and how they persevere.

So our team at the BC Women’s Health Foundation created a project that celebrated these self-identified women-led small businesses, entrepreneurs, and artists across BC,while supporting our organization’s mandate to advance the full spectrum of women’s health.

We got together with Laura Melling of Laura Melling Studio. Melling was one of the many women entrepreneurs who had been forced to pivot the operations of her interior design firm. But beyond her creative practice, Melling had always been a community creator. Her ideas, connections, and support of the Changemaker’s Market were what really gave it lift.

“Early in the pandemic there was a thread of negativity, a worry and fear that was being expressed in our various media channels. It was overwhelming yes, but where there is dark there is also usually light – they can coexist. I was witnessing business leaders in my community choosing to be generous and innovative during a time when they were known to be struggling. It was so unexpected and beautiful. I wanted to shine a light on those women leaders.”

-Laura Melling, Laura Melling Studio.

As the Director of Strategic Partnerships at BC Women’s Health Foundation, spearheading our larger event fundraisers, I have made many “asks” in my role: for people to donate their time, money, services, and products in support of women’s health. But I had never experienced such an overwhelmingly positive and energetic response. In only one month, we had over 140 self-identified women leaders who were keen to support one another and engage with our cause. By donating a curated product or a unique service to our online market, the public was able to bid on these sought after experiences during a time of isolation, where all proceeds directly benefited BC Women’s Health Foundation. From beloved, well-known companies like Virtruvi and Studio Sashiko to lesser-known creators like ffabb and Sḵwálwen Botanicals. Their decision to lead with the spirit of generosity was what made the Changemaker’s Market a huge success. Thanks to our community, including our corporate partner BlueShore Financial who demonstrated their steady commitment to small business by making a $15,000 contribution, we raised $45,700 for women’s health.

And those who know the BC Women’s Health Foundation might ask, “how are small businesses really linked to women’s health?” But we only need to look as far as the existing stats to know the answer.

Employment and income is a strong predictor of physical and mental health. And in March 2020, the monthly decline in employment for women was more than twice than that of men. So to me, it was clear that this conversation was about more than just income. It was about women who were holding it together — holding their families together — while facing the reality that the pandemic might force their businesses to shut down permanently.

Today, in 2020, women are still proven to take on more unpaid responsibilities and emotional labour at home,even if they don’t have kids. When the United Nations reports “women do nearly three times as much unpaid domestic work as men,” our minds immediately jump to childcare. But tasks like cooking, cleaning, or even caring for elderly parents, tend to go largely unnoticed.

So if the pre-pandemic stats tell us that “men are more likely to remain in full-time work for the entirety of their careers, while up to 40% of women shift to part-time at some point” — I think about the families, couples and individuals who were forced to make tough decisions about how to get by over the past several months.

That’s how this conversation is intrinsically linked to mental health. And we’re finally starting to name it. But it’s also linked to physical health. When 31% of BC business owners are thinking the pandemic might force them to shut down permanently, it’s easy to see how a routine pap test, or booking your next mammogram might get pushed down your to-do list. It’s understandable how the basics of supporting a healthy lifestyle like sleep, diet, and exercise could be put on the backburner when you’re supporting the needs of your family and their livelihood first.

The stories the Changemaker’s Market participants shared throughout the week were about showing up for each other, but they were also about showing up for themselves. They spoke candidly about their stress and anxiety, the darker corners of their lives that made it that much more important to come together. They spoke about the value of community and how holding each other up is vital, especially during a time like this.

This summer, as isolation measures are lifting and small businesses are re-opening their storefronts we must continue to support our local women-led businesses. This will ensure our community not only stays intact, but exudes resilience and strength.

BC Women’s Health Foundation is BC’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the full spectrum of women’s health. To find out more about their bold and dynamic vision of healthy women everywhere, capable of anything, visit bcwomensfoundation.org.