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2025 Project: The ME Project Themed - STEAM Ahead

In celebration of the United Nations International Girls’ Day, a day dedicated to empowering and supporting girls worldwide, The ME Project YEG-themed STEAM Ahead is set to take place in Edmonton on October 11, 2025. This event, strategically timed to coincide with the global celebration, aims to bridge the STEAM education and careers gap for girls and gender-diverse youth, shedding light on the existing educational barriers, both locally and globally. It’s a unique opportunity to showcase STEAM careers to youth aged 15 to 18, with a specific focus on addressing the underrepresentation of women in these fields.

Despite the promising prospects of STEAM careers, women’s participation, especially in STEM, is declining. The proportion of women graduating from STEM courses has decreased significantly. Additionally, women are underrepresented in STEM fields, comprising only a quarter of the workforce, as reported by Think Progress and Statistics Canada.

While there has been increased attention to girls’ issues by governments and policymakers, investments in girls’ rights, particularly in equal representation in STEM careers, remain limited. Girls and female-identifying individuals face numerous challenges in fulfilling their potential, exacerbated by global crises such as climate change, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and humanitarian conflicts.

GOALS

  1. Expose girls and gender-diverse youth aged 15 to 18 to STEAM career opportunities.
  2. Foster mentorship opportunities through project activities.
  3. Promote post-secondary educational paths focusing on STEAM.
  4. Showcase educational pathways and STEAM professionals to youth.

OUTCOMES

  1. Increase empowerment to pursue educational endeavours.
  2. Enhance knowledge of STEAM career opportunities.
  3.  Encourage engagement through interactions with STEAM professionals.

2019 Project: The ME Project Themed - A Girl Can Be Whatever She wants…

The ME Project, inaugurated in June 2019 at the Edmonton Inn and Conference Centre, showcased remarkable women, including Marianne Ryan, former Commanding Officer for the RCMP in Alberta. With a distinguished 35-year career in law enforcement, Marianne’s accolades include the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal and the Governor General’s Order of Merit of the Police Forces. She is the first woman to serve as Alberta’s Ombudsman and Public Interest Commissioner. Alongside Marianne, the event featured a stellar panel:

April Eve Wiberg, a proud advocate and founding member of the Stolen Sisters & Brothers Awareness Movement, tirelessly raises awareness of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Men, and Boys in Canada.

Catherine Vu, co-founder of Pro-Active Computer Solutions and now philanthropist, is a force in Alberta’s IT community renowned for her dedication to giving back.

A Métis woman and accomplished musician, Debbie Houle has enriched Edmonton’s Indigenous community for 27 years through music and community development.

Georgette Reed, an Olympic athlete turned Health and Wellness Coordinator for Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, brings over four decades of experience in sport, fitness, and health.

These women, alongside keynote speaker Marian Ryan, empowered over 60 girls aged 14-16 at the event, which was made possible by community sponsors like The Edmonton Inn and Conference Centre, Mojo Photo Booth, and Long and McQuade. As we revive The ME Project in 2025, we honour their legacy and continue our mission: STEAM AHEAD!

2018 Project: Themed - Invisible But Real

Harriet Tinka, a Ugandan immigrant, alongside Sonja Purcell from Ayana Communications, recognized the urgent need to address mental health issues within Edmonton’s refugee and newcomer communities.
Together, they organized a free event, “Invisible but Real: You can’t heal with you don’t reveal,” featuring speakers, panels, and a Q&A session. The event aimed to debunk myths and confront challenges surrounding mental illness, particularly among those who may lack cultural understanding or access to resources. With support from individuals like former Olympian Georgette Reed and Edmonton Centre MLA David Shepherd, the event highlighted the importance of dialogue and support networks in promoting mental well-being. It took place at the Diversity Centre on June 16, 2018, reflecting a growing recognition of the interconnectedness of physical and mental health within diverse communities.