PRESTIGE WOMEN OF POWER 2024

LEADING WITH AMBITION, BRILLIANCE, AND FROM THE HEART, THESE ARE WOMEN WHOSE VISIONARY MINDSETS ARE REVOLUTIONISING THEIR METIERS, NO HOLDS BARRED. FROM TRAILBLAZERS AND INNOVATORS TO LEADERS AND MENTORS, HERE ARE THIS YEAR'S POWERFUL HONOUREES.

- TENGKU ZAI, COLIN GOMEZ, SWAROOPINI NAIR, SHARNYIA SELVAN

GAYATHRI SANTHI-MCBAIN

RACIAL EQUITY, WOMEN'S HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, MIGRANT WORKER ACTIVIST

What inspired you to become an activist? I think I was always an activist. I don't know if I've earned the title, but I feel it in my soul and I think that being an activist is acting on it now, and using that very privileged name is honouring my younger self who was aware of social injustice from the get-go. I think when I discovered that I had a heart, I realised that social injustice was also something that would break my heart.

As an activist of all these areas, what does it mean to you to be a voice for all these causes? We don't see what's happening in situations where people are living in poverty or women are being treated differently by the systems and say that that's not our problem. Because if we don't make the changes within our family and community and act on standing up for these causes, then how can progress be made? We have to also hold ourselves accountable on a daily basis, whether it's with our partners or whether it's with our children. It's really important to me to be the voice for the voiceless.

What are the biggest obstacles you've faced as an activist?