Small steps to create great change with Bel Viegas
Isabel Viegas is a lover of nature and animals. She lives in the inner city suburbs of Melbourne with her partner Tom and their menagerie of animals. Her work is in emergency services, which keeps her on her toes and makes way for creative her afternoons often spent playing on her pottery wheel or whipping up delicious feasts for friends and family.
Her love for nature often takes her to one of her favourite places in the world; Wilsons Prom. “It’s so incredibly pristine and picturesque, and I honestly can’t think of anything better than a hike to Squeaky Beach followed by a dip in the ocean” she tells us.
WE ASKED HER:
How do you see yourself embracing equity?
When I think about equity, the saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day” always comes to mind. Change doesn’t occur overnight, and affecting change within cultures and societies can often take decades, if not centuries.
For me, it’s the small steps that we can easily implement in our daily lives that will ultimately lead to change. It’s about acknowledging privilege where it exists, and doing our best to actually include marginalised groups in important conversations.
It’s about supporting small businesses, buying local, understanding the importance of social services, embracing diversity in the workplace, and creating a safe space for people to show up regardless of gender, culture, religion or socio-economic status.
Who is a woman you look up to and why?
Jacinda Arden is a woman that I’ve looked up to for many years now. To me, she embodies what it means to not only be an incredible leader but also an exceptional woman. Jacinda led with kindness and compassion whilst also exuding strength, courage and determination. Most importantly, she demonstrated that in order to be powerful and influential, one does not have to be aggressive and authoritative.
What changes do you hope to see in the future for women?
The gender pay gap is something that I’d love to see abolished in my lifetime. I think that with time, we will see more women in positions of power, leading with compassion, determination and a greater sense of balance.
More importantly, I’d like to see equity not just for women, but also for our incredible LGBTQI community.
I’m incredibly lucky to live in Australia, where a more equitable world is not such a distant reality. We have to keep moving forward towards a more equitable future - challenging problematic mindsets and embracing change along the way.
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