Gather and Grow with the Iris Collective to empower women

"Iris Collective co-founders Cranla Warren and Jo-Dee Burbach were thrilled to see an engaged audience full of women and girls interested in coming together to empower and support each other. The Iris Collective held their Gather and Grow event on Feb. 1.

Women and girls in Stratford came together for the first event of an organization aiming to bring women in the city and surrounding area together.

The Iris Collective, a grassroots organization aiming to bring women of Stratford and area together, held their first event Gather and Grow at the Local Community Food Center on Feb. 1. Gather and Grow was filled with lots of friendly conversations and applause.

The free event gave a rundown of the organization, how it started and why it’s launching. Gather and Grow also held an activity where tables of women talked about issues that need addressing and possible solutions.

City councillor, communications professional and graphic designer Jo-Dee Burbach and organization psychologist Cranla Warren, who lived in Stratford for 20 years, co-founded the Iris Collective. Both women noticed issues surrounding leadership, politics, economics, and social issues that affect women in Stratford of all ages, regardless of how long they’ve lived in the city.

The core group of the Iris Collective came together in October 2023 and partly attributed the organization’s name to Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow who was a messenger between mortals and gods.

"As a society, we've come to recognize that rainbows are a symbol of hope, equity and unity. It just so happens as well that in 1925, the Iris was made the official flower of the City of Stratford,” Burbach said.

Both Burbach and Warren were pleased with the turnout of Gather and Grow.

"I think it was amazing. I'm so glad that lots of women in our community were able to come out and connect. It's exactly what we wanted to happen, and it did,” Burbach said.

"And we had no idea how many people to expect,” Warren added. “We had people showing up 40 minutes before the doors officially even opened and it was our pleasure and joy to have girls here as well as part of the Iris Collective launch event.”

During the Q&A session towards the end of the afternoon, a girl inquired about volunteering with the Iris Collective when she and her friends enter high school for the mandatory 40 hours of community service upon graduation requirement.

The Iris Collective aims to host events at least once a quarter, with the next event coming in the spring.

"I think what we hear today from the interaction in the table activities in what they really want and need, that's going to guide our next steps,” Warren said. “We want to make sure we're amplifying the voices and really meeting the need."

More information about the Iris Collective can be found by visiting the Facebook page online, sending an email to iriscollective.stratford@gmail.com or by calling 519-275-7060.