INCLUSION, HAS MORE TO DO THAN JUST INCLUDE
Out of 5 jobs, 4 bosses I had were women. Thanks to Magola, Diana, Gina and Ana Maria.
I am the son of a spectacular woman, Elena; brother of 2 fantastic women, Carmen and Esther; husband of one without equal, Milena and I hope God gives me life to have the fortune to meet those who decide to take the same path as my children.
In the path of my professional development and entrepreneurship I have come across very valuable women, I would fill entire shelves with their names and what they have done for me and my projects.
And here my note, I have never received a different message of respect, recognition, motivation, support and understanding, from those who were my bosses or mentors and those who accompany me in life.
So, if someone wants to talk to me about gender equity, I have something to tell them, it turns out that only now, I realize that, out of one hundred percent of my bosses, 80 percent have been women... how fortunate I have been!
In recent days, during the REPICA LXIII meeting in San Salvador, we attended the panel "Women's Leadership in Port Development" with the participation of Lorena, Kamyla, Zayda, Raquel, Andrea and Elvia, women leaders within the Maritime and Port Authorities of Central America, who allowed us to appreciate, in a good way and with great detail, the many outstanding jobs and tasks that women perform today in the maritime and port sector.
Reflecting on their presentations, I wondered whether it would be inclusive to create a rule that makes it compulsory to be so, and whether we are not, therefore, more exclusive?
Well, I would like to tell you that I "took the risk" to ask them in the panel and I received valuable answers that allow me to write these lines today, with complete peace of mind. From their contributions and answers, I was somewhat surprised to find specific regions or countries, in which it is still a sector that presents misogynistic aspects.
It turns out, then, that these women mentioned, have prepared themselves academically, with the effort that this requires for any person, regardless of gender; they come from homes in which there was no restriction for their personal development, being this a point to take into account to improve the understanding of the role of women in our society and their work performance. But better yet, I found in them a common characteristic; the willingness to assert themselves without the need of having a rule that allowed them to open a space to achieve what they got and placing a clear border line, which defends their principles and values.
Thus, my invitation is to review from the academy so that the efforts are valued without distinction, to support in our homes the initiatives of entrepreneurship and project developers, equally. I welcome the panels in future events that show us the opening of this sector to women; but I dream and want to participate in more panels where, when talking about port and maritime operations, security, planning, innovation, legislation, current affairs and trends, the experts, men and women, will be there, telling us about their experiences.
Thank you Elvia and Red MAMLa for this wonderful invitation.