Cal Rolle is the Manager, Training & Development, and Chair of the People & Culture Diversity & Inclusion Committee at Sunwing Travel Group. He's also part of Team Sunwing for Walk A Mile In Her Shoes 2020. 

September 15, 2020 (Toronto, Canada ) – White Ribbon’s 11th annual awareness-raising event, Walk A Mile in Her Shoes, is going virtual! Step out with your favourite pair of heels (or any other shoes!) that symbolize your
commitment to end violence against women, girls, and people of all genders, and walk with hundreds of others
in Toronto between September 26th to October 2nd , 2020. Participants can walk anytime during that week and share their experience on social media using #WhiteRibbonWalk, thus showing their support in ending
gender-based violence, racism, and all forms of discrimination.

Over the past few months, the worldwide COVID- 19 pandemic heightened the magnitude of inequality women continually face from increased rates of domestic abuse, to sexual violence and harassment within and outside the home. Meanwhile, the Black Lives Matter movement revealed the urgency to speak out against racism, sexism and all intersectional forms of discrimination. Overall, 2020 is a year that alerted us to the necessity of overdue change.

With this year’s walk taking place virtually over one week, participants will be able to take stride and complete
their mile anywhere they choose! White Ribbon’s goal is to attract more than 500 participants to walk in
solidarity with women, girls and all genders, while raising awareness and funds to end violence, promote
equality, healthy relationships and a new vision of masculinity. It's a momentous occasion for men and people
of all genders to make a statement that violence against women and girls, racism, and discrimination is not only
a women's issue - it's everyone's issue, and it will only be solved by everyone working together.

Participants can register online at www.walkamiletoronto.ca and will be invited to celebrate virtually on
October 2 nd to acknowledge all of the teams, participants, and sponsors. Bring your friends, colleagues, and
family members and walk your neighbourhoods or workspaces to support this incredible cause to fight for
racial equality and social justice! You’ll be able to show your allyship online via White Ribbon’s Twitter
(@whiteribbon), Instagram (@whiteribboncanada), Facebook (@whiteribboncampaign), and LinkedIn
(linkedin.com/company/whiteribbon) using the hashtag #WhiteRibbonWalk.

White Ribbon’s work would not be possible without the support and generosity of its sponsors:
Stiletto Sponsor: McCarthy Tetrault
Wedge Sponsor: Brill Communications, Barrick Gold
Kitten Sponsors: Achieve Blue, Alterna Savings, Captivate,
Corman Feiner, Hydro One, James In The City, Rebecca Social
​

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About White Ribbon
This year marks White Ribbon’s 11th annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes awareness and fundraising event. White Ribbon was founded in Toronto Canada in 1991, in response to Montreal’s École Polytechnique massacre in December 1989. In the aftermath of the tragedy, a group of men came together to advocate that men had both a role and responsibility in working to eliminate violence against women.

Today, White Ribbon Campaign initiatives have been organized in over 60 countries around the world making
this the world’s largest movement of men and boys working to end violence against women and girls while
promoting gender equality. Among its many calls to broader individual and systemic action and change, White
Ribbon has asked men to wear white ribbons as a pledge to never commit, condone or remain silent about
gender-based violence. Funds raised will help deliver awareness and educational programs such as the
award-winning Boys Don’t Cry and Men of Quality initiative.

Reaching men and boys in workplaces, schools, colleges, universities, sports teams and community groups across the country.

For more information, please contact Brill Communications Desia Halpin-Brill | [email protected]

​I have had the pleasure to work with White Ribbon over the last two years and I am so honoured to be the Board Chair. And as the universe always does, this cause has made me see this cause through a new lens.

A while back a dear friend and I were having a heart to heart about great relationships (she has not had much luck in this area of her life), and she opened up about her past and how her relationship with her father has affected her ability to build healthy relationships with the men who have been in her life.

I was shocked, and without thinking, I shared with her that I had always believed that she grew up in a home with loving parents and privileges that most people do not have. I also believed that her father was like “Ward Cleaver” – the perfect father on “Leave It To Beaver” which was a show in the 1950s (I guess I just aged myself).

She quickly responded by telling me that I could not have been more off the mark. Her childhood and adolescence was living with an abusive father – who repeatedly abused their mother, my friend, and her siblings. I was sad, angry, and shocked to hear her finally share her life growing up. I have known her for 27 years; how did I know this? Because like many victims of abuse we just do not talk about it. They are ashamed – which breaks my heart.

I am proud to walk in this year's Walk A Mile In Her Shoes, so that I can continue to make a difference in the lives of women and girls who have had the same experience as my very dear friend. I Walk because we need a “future that has no violence against women and girls”.

Together we need to support this cause through the education, awareness-raising, outreach, capacity building, and partnerships that White Ribbon provides. We have to challenge the negative, outdated concepts of manhood and inspire men to understand and embrace the incredible potential they have to be a part of positive change.

This year I am walking with my friends to make a difference. I am walking for my dear friend who had the courage to share her story, and for those that have not shared their experiences.

-Mona Mitchell, Chair of White Ribbon's Board of Directors