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Richmond resident Iyabe Maclayton was awarded Dress for Success Vancouver’s 2025 Inspiration Award.

Photo courtesy Dress for Success Vancouver

Richmond resident Iyeba Maclayton receives Dress for Success Vancouver’s 2025 Inspiration Award

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 11:17 PST, Tue December 23, 2025

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Dress for Success Vancouver, a local charity empowering women and gender-diverse individuals into good jobs, financial independence and personal success, has awarded Richmond resident Iyeba Maclayton with the organization’s 2025 Inspiration Award. The Inspiration Award honours a former Dress for Success Vancouver client who has overcome barriers to build a successful path forward and now lifts others through leadership, advocacy and giving back to the community.

Originally hailing from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Iyeba relocated to Richmond with her family in 2019, and like many newcomers, she struggled to find her footing, facing job instability, cultural barriers and self-doubt. But with the support of Dress for Success Vancouver’s dressing services, mentorship and leadership programs, Iyeba rebuilt her confidence and ignited her career. Now an operations manager at Agropur, Iyeba strives to uplift others, fostering collaborative and supportive work environments that inspire growth and excellence.

Iyeba received the Inspiration Award at Dress for Success Vancouver’s 13th annual Success Luncheon on Tuesday, November 25 in a room filled with 650 supporters and friends of the organization.

Since 1999, Dress for Success Vancouver has empowered over 46,000 women across the Lower Mainland, providing professional attire, career programs, leadership development and a strong community of support. Dress for Success Vancouver has contributed an estimated $2.1 billion dollars in collective economic impact by clients who found employment, based on the 2022 StatCan average individual income for BC women. In 2024–25, 53 per cent of Dress for Success Vancouver’s clients have identified as newcomers, emphasizing the organization’s important role in removing barriers for women and gender diverse individuals.

““Growing up in Port Harcourt, in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, I learned early that survival required strength, assertiveness and unwavering determination. In a country where we drilled our own boreholes for water, bought generators for electricity and paid for healthcare out of pocket, resilience wasn’t just a virtue, it was a necessity. Those qualities became part of who I am. They carried me through the challenges of moving to a new country, through moments of defeat and frustration, through obstacles in the workplace and moments of doubt.”

“After being laid off twice and feeling like my voice was too strong, too assertive for Canadian workplaces, I found hope in an unexpected place, a Nigerian mom's WhatsApp group. It was there that Tracy, a Dress for Success Vancouver Ambassador, recommended the Professional Women’s Group, now the Working Women’s Group. She understood the unique challenges we faced as immigrant women trying to navigate professional spaces. The Working Women’s Group became my entry point into this incredible community.”

“Dress for Success Vancouver didn’t just style me for success. They gave me a continuum of support, addressing the systemic barriers I faced as an immigrant woman, providing mentorship when I felt lost, and most importantly, a community of support when I felt alone. I’m so thankful to Dress for Success Vancouver for empowering me to believe in myself and what I bring to the table. It’s truly an honour to be the recipient of this year’s Inspiration Award.”

“Today, through mentorship, volunteering and leadership, I continue to pay it forward. I share the lessons I’ve learned, help others navigate barriers and contribute to a network of women who, like me, are stepping into their potential” said Iyeba Maclayton.