Receiving the Outstanding Business Award
By: Gayathri Shukla, Oct 2, 2024
I’m deeply honored to share that Campfire Kinship received the 2024 Outstanding Business Award at the SAIA Awards Gala. This award recognizes a business for its reputation in business ethics and product quality, and leadership.
I am filled with gratitude for my team, family and friends and of course my clients – this award wouldn’t have been possible without your trust and your support!
As a South Asian woman, I was asked if it felt significant to be recognized within this community. This is a deeper question of course, for which I would like to share a few reflections:
1. Representation Matters
As someone who transitioned from 20-years in engineering to social entrepreneurship, I’ve faced many barriers—including familial and cultural pressures that often stigmatize non-traditional career choices. Seeing role models like Sangita Patel (who received the Canadian Icon award) remind me how important it is to normalize and celebrate South Asian excellence in all its forms. Representation IS necessary for breaking down barriers and broadening what success looks like for future generations.
2. Celebration Matters
Many of us in the South Asian community are conditioned to “keep striving,” often without pausing to celebrate our achievements. The event made me realize how empowering it is to acknowledge our successes publicly. It allowed me to recognize the strength, resilience, and excellence within our community—and to take a moment to appreciate how far we’ve come despite systemic barriers such as racism.
3. Community Matters
This event was unlike any I’ve attended in traditional spaces like weddings or religious gatherings. I saw a collective spirit of support and encouragement. In a world where competition and division can easily take root, the SAIA Gala showed the incredible belonging that comes from creating a space where we celebrate our unique contributions as individuals and as a community.
Thank you SAIA team for hosting this event. Stories have the power to bridge divides, challenge stereotypes, and amplify underrepresented voices. Receiving this award reinforces the importance of the work I do and I look forward to continuing to drive meaningful change together with other changemakers!
In community,
Gayathri