Meet five Canadian Women Changemakers making a difference on YouTube
This International Women’s Day, and beyond, these five influential women are sparking change and keeping us entertained with their voices, passions, and talents on YouTube.
From teaching us how to build a sustainable closet of clothes, to pointing out inclusion gaps in the beauty industry, and everything in between, Canadian creators on YouTube are using their platforms to shape our shared future for the better.
Meet five women inspiring change in their own ways below. With their unique styles and creativity, they’re just some of the many changemakers who are making a name for themselves and showing how YouTube is a place where meaningful change can happen.
MissDarcei (2.34M subscribers, 821.7M views)
Darcei is a mega-popular Canadian beauty-guru who launched her YouTube channel in 2010. As a self-proclaimed “makeup mythbuster,” she leverages her platform to expose inclusion gaps in the makeup industry and beauty trends that sideline BIPOC makeup lovers. Her sense of humour and magnetic personality has helped her attract a loyal following of 2.34M subscribers.
Alexandra Gater (557K subscribers, 70.6M views)
Alexandra’s career path hasn’t been linear; she’s worked her way from being a magazine editor to woman entrepreneur with eight employees, to published author. Now, as a successful YouTube creator, editor, stylist and home decor expert, she’s paving the way for other DIY home decor creators. Understanding the challenges young people face in the current real estate market, her channel has garnered millions of views thanks to her accessible approach to design. Her mission is to share how everyone deserves a beautiful home, no matter if they rent or own or what their budget is.
Nemahsis (31.1K subscribers, 2.3M views)
Nemah (aka Nemahsis) is a Palestinian Canadian singer-songwriter and fashion model, making waves in the Canadian underground music scene. In 2021, Nemahsis released her debut single “What if I took it off for you,” a delicate ballad touching upon the challenges she faced as a Muslim woman in the fashion and beauty industry. Since then, she continues to share new music on her YouTube channel that educates her global audience on the experiences of Muslim women and the Muslim community.
Alyssa Beltempo (230K subscribers, 24.4M views)
Alyssa started her fashion-focused YouTube channel in 2011, with the mission of inspiring Canadians to embrace creativity over needless consumption. She leads by example, creating content that teaches viewers styling hacks and how to shop their own closets so they can make the most of what they already have. Her values-driven approach to fashion illustrates that you can still be stylish while pursuing sustainable living.
With Wendy (1.4M subscribers, 76.1M views)
Wendy is a talented seamstress and artist, on a lifelong adventure in sewing. Since starting her YouTube channel in 2009, she’s been showing viewers how they can make beautiful, handmade clothing out of thrifted finds, or breathe new life into existing fits with small alterations. Her creativity and talent inspire her audience to make small changes to their consumption habits, so they can pursue their love of fashion and style more sustainably
Be sure to subscribe to their channels and stay tuned on their latest content to find inspo for your next project. Before you know it, you’ll be sewing your own clothes, thinking critically about your next makeup purchase, and finding smart ways to save with your own DIY creations.
