Ever since her days as a proud Edie at Havergal College, Brenda Ha ’95 has been on a path of breaking barriers, evolving her career and championing change. Today, she stands as one of the founding members of AFC Toronto, a professional women’s soccer club helping to reshape the sports landscape in Canada.
Brenda
Ha
Written by Lauren Palombo ’01
Photography by Galit Rodan
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Brenda to talk about seizing opportunities, building community and what it means to be a catalyst for lasting change.
Lauren: Why professional women’s sports? And how did your involvement with AFC Toronto come to be?
Brenda: I first began to really notice the inequity between boys’ and girls’ sports through the lens of my children’s experiences. When my son played soccer, I saw that the boys’ teams were offered opportunities that the girls’ teams just didn’t get. It was disheartening. While serving on the Board of my son’s soccer club, I learned about an opportunity to join a team bidding for the Toronto franchise of the new professional women’s soccer league. Initially, I saw it as something “they” were doing — I didn’t imagine myself having a role in it.
I was on the outside looking in, watching this exciting movement unfold. But with the encouragement of my family, I began to shift my thinking. I asked myself: “Why not me?” That mindset shift was pivotal. If we, as women who care about equity, don’t step up and advocate for change, who will? It’s up to us to say, “This isn’t right — and we’re going to fix it.”
Lauren: You hosted your first AFC Toronto home game this past spring. What was that experience like?
Brenda: Absolutely incredible! The amount of work it took to get to that moment was enormous, but standing there in the stadium, looking around at all the fans who showed up not just for soccer, but also to support women and girls, it made every bit of the effort worth it.
“If we, as women who care about equity, don’t step up and advocate for change, who will? It’s up to us to say, ‘This isn’t right – and we’re going to fix it.’”
“No matter what you do, it’s the relationships that matter most. Help others not because you expect something in return, but because it’s right.”
Lauren: There will no doubt be young girls in those stands who will look back one day and say that attending an AFC game changed their lives.
Brenda: I love that. And what’s even more powerful is that the ripple effect goes beyond just girls. There were so many families, boys and young men in the stands that day. It’s about normalizing women’s sports, creating a world where future generations won’t even understand the inequities we’ve had to fight against. That’s how real cultural change happens.
Lauren: Was there someone who started a ripple effect in your own life?
Brenda: Definitely. When I was at Havergal, Ms. Brenda Robson was a huge inspiration. She embodied leadership in a way that was authentic and strong. I still find myself thinking, What would Ms. Robson do?
Lauren: Any advice for the next generation of change-makers?
Brenda: Absolutely — focus on people and community. No matter what you do, it’s the relationships that matter most. Help others not because you expect something in return, but because it’s right. Be curious, stay open, ask questions and don’t be afraid to go after what you want. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Lean into your network, be resourceful and put yourself out there.
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Writer: Lauren Palombo ’01 works as the Director of Real Estate Development for a North America-wide development group. She holds a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Toronto and is also a qualified real estate salesperson under the Real Estate Council of Ontario. Lauren served on the HOGA directorate for a number of years and is passionate about alumni connection and community mentorship. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband and two children.
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