Driving Progress: Celebrating International Women’s Day

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Press for Progress. To commemorate IWD, we are sharing words of wisdom from Women of Uber leaders and Uber executives across the country and around the world who are driving Uber forward. Below you’ll read their thoughts about the importance of IWD, what they’re looking forward to in 2018, and advice for how each of us can #PressforProgress at Uber and beyond in 2018.

International Women’s Day is a great moment to reflect on what we’ve collectively achieved as Women of Uber; to celebrate all the wins — big and small — and to acknowledge the support of our allies! This journey has not been easy but as we press for progress towards equality, it’s a great way to celebrate and stand united.

As the Women of Uber chapter lead in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), I’m most optimistic about the positive changes in women’s rights in Saudi Arabia — this is massive and will impact the lives of our colleagues, riders, and future women drivers in the country. #PressforProgress”

– Raashi Sikka, People Team, Amsterdam

I tell women to cut through the noise and listen to your gut. Do what makes you feel proud to wake up every day, comfortable in your skin, and empowered to produce amazing results.

– Meghan Joyce, Operations, Boston

I’m very optimistic about the rise of sorority among women, especially here in Brazil. As more of us realize just how much sexism can hold us all back, we also become more open to pushing each other upwards, instead of down.

– Gabriela Manzini, Policy & Communications, Sao Paulo

For India, 2018 is the year of rising. We will build a community full of confidence and strong voices, and we will set forth to pursue our best careers yet!

– Manavi Baveja, People Team, New Delhi

My advice for women on International Women’s Day is to never justify — be comfortable that you’ve earned it.

– Komal Mangtani, Engineering, San Francisco

As I look back on 2018, it makes me extremely proud to see the positive impact we’ve had on people’s lives — be it our driver partners, delivery partners, restaurant partners, riders, or our employees. While our women delivery and driver partners are breaking barriers in the field, the journeys of many female Uber employees have also been so transformational.

We have a lot in store in 2018.

– Deval Delivala, Operations, New Delhi

IWD is a day dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and achievements of women! It’s a day for us to take a step back and be excited about the progress we’ve made and optimistic about what’s to come. This year I’m excited to help connect Women of Uber with strong female leaders and mentors. In 2018 I am reminding myself, and others, to focus on being brave, not perfect!

– Britta Mulderrig, Marketing, New York City

When I think about what we’re working towards, I like to think of what Ela Bhatt, founder of SEWA, wisely said of women: ‘We not only want a piece of the pie, we also want to choose the flavor, and to know how to make it ourselves.’ We still have a long way to go to get there, but the good thing is that we get to do it together.

– Blaire Mattson, People Team, San Francisco

This is the first IWD that we are officially celebrating in Spanish-speaking LATAM. It is the flag under which we are celebrating female drivers in Greenlight Hubs, bringing in inspiring external speakers, and launching our mentorship program.

We have seen an incredible openness in LATAM by our male allies to take part in these conversations around IWD. I am optimistic that we are all on this journey together.

– Lauren Burdick, Community Operations, Mexico City

International Women’s Day is a chance to recognize the resilience of women, as well as the breadth of stories and experiences that we all have and can share. For Uber, 2017 was an inflection point . This year will be about making sustainable change for the better, and building each other up. It’s a chance for us to be a leader in creating better work cultures, instead of creating constant headlines.

– Wensheen Tong, Sales Operations, San Francisco