National Post - Financial Post Magazine
HOW A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER BOTH BECAME WXN CANADA’S MOST POWERFUL WOMEN: TOP 100 WINNERS
Azra Hussain was sitting in her car in the parking lot outside her local grocery store in Surrey, B.C., when she got a threeword text from her daughter, Hebah Hussaina. “Mom, I won.” It was what she had been praying for since both she and Hebah found out they were both being considered for WXN’S Canada’s Most Powerful: Top 100 awards; Hussain, in the category of C-suite Executives, and Hussaina, in the category of RBC Future Launch Future Leaders.
“I was so happy for her. I really admire her for who she is,” says Hussain. Then, as she was on the phone with her daughter, the proud mother received an email. She had won, too. Hussain immediately conferenced in her husband and son and the family enjoyed the moment together. “It was unreal, and one of the best moments of my life.”
Hussaina was just as thrilled for her mother. “She is the epitome of power because she is so kind. To be able to stand alongside her is wonderful.”
The recognition has strengthened their desire to be role models to others. They have a lot to offer.
Azra Hussain, COO of Surrey Hospitals Foundation, grew up in India, leading a very comfortable and cocooned life until she was 17, when her father’s death changed everything. “Almost overnight, we went into a financial slide. I had to learn to live without my father and everything he had provided,” she says.
What remained was her father’s overarching lessons on the importance of giving to others. “When he died, I became the person who needed support and caring,” says Hussain. “I learned how life can change in a moment.” The experience forged a focus on the importance of lifelong learning, hard work and helping others.
These principles helped Hussain navigate life as a new immigrant to Canada and as a woman building a career in leadership. “I started to get certifications to make myself relevant. I got my accounting designation, certified fundraising executive designation, and continue to focus on professional development.” The goal is always to drive impact and give back. To that end, Hussain joined the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy’s task force to advance the diversity,
equity, inclusion and belonging movement. “I am learning a lot and sharing that knowledge with my organization and as many people as I can.”
While Hussain is happy today to put herself out there and take a leading role in making change, it wasn’t always this way. Her decision to step out of the shadows came one day when she was looking at some photographs. “I’ve always been confident in what I do and sharing my knowledge in conference rooms, but in these pictures I was always in the back of the crowd. I realized if I want to be seen as a leader in my role, if I truly want to help other women become more confident, I have to demonstrate it.”
Shortly after that realization, she won a community award for her work as a not-for-profit leader and was invited to a South Asian talk show, where she shared her story. “I had a lot of people reach out to me afterwards about how they identified with parts of my journey and how they were sharing my story to inspire their daughters.” The impact led Hussain to add the hashtag “role models in resilience” to her Linkedin profile, which in turn has led to many more women reaching out for advice and encouragement.
“My mom is a trailblazer. She has taught me to never give up, to have the confidence and courage to keep trying, to work hard, follow your passion and do what you love,” says Hussaina. “Most importantly, my mom is very kind, and I have learned the power of kindness and the impact it can have on people.”
These lessons have helped Hussaina pursue her own passion for science and her advocacy to ensure equal opportunities for everyone to pursue careers in STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts and Maths). Hussaina’s love for science took hold during her family’s regular trips via Skytrain from Surrey to Vancouver’s Science World. “It’s magical. As a child it fills you with wonder and possibilities. I have specific memories of splashing water in the water table, watching movies about wildlife, learning and discovering,” she says.
Today, as Science World’s co-ordinator for the Future Science Leaders program in Surrey, Hussaina is helping make sure others have the same opportunity to discover their love for science. The hands-on exploratory learning program for high school students in grades 10 and 11 teaches basic science principles and explores different fields of science, bringing in a range of speakers to showcase their passions. “I’ve worked hard to ensure that anybody can access the program regardless of grades or financial status,” says Hussaina.
Her work with Future Science Leaders is just one aspect of the impact Hussaina wants to have as she builds her career. A research assistant with BC Children’s Hospital, Hussaina plans to pursue a career in children’s health sciences research. “I want to help support healthy child development in my local community. I’m very excited to see what is to come.”
Together, mother and daughter want to build on the momentum of being recognized as among Canada’s Most Powerful Women. “We want to formalize and put structure around ‘role models in resilience’,” says Hussain. “I think as a mother and daughter we can inspire two generations of women. We have this wonderful opportunity to do that.”