If you want to empower others you can’t sit around, twiddling your thumbs waiting on someone to sprinkle empowerment dust on you and hope that it works out.  You have to find opportunities to learn, grow and invest in YOU and that’s exactly what I did when I paid my registration to attend the 4th Annual Junior League of Atlanta Women’s Leadership Forum.  Oh and let’s be clear, it was both a financial and time investment!  Now looking back on it, I’m so glad that I didn’t hesitate when I entered my credit card information or when I requested PTO at work during a busy season. Everything about the day justified my decision and I am excited to share with each of you in today’s post why the “Power of A Woman’s Voice” is crucial to empowering others.  Before you start reading, click here for some tunes to pump you up and as reminder of just how AWESOME women are.  Now, let’s dig in!                                                                                  

Women Who Broke The Mold

In life.  In politics  In entrepreneurship.  And formed their second life.  I attended the “in life” breakout session and the panelists tackled everything from how they define balance (that was a treat!), positioning yourself so that you are READY to seize opportunities and being clear about your goals and not making decisions based solely on family, your schedule, current emotions, etc…Stay focused on YOUR goals.  Key takeaways: name your inner critic, understand that being able to connect with others is being vulnerable, know that the strife is not yours alone and there’s an opportunity lesson in each challenge.

Women Who Find Balance

Of course, I sat in the front row for this session.  Anyone that is going to present on BALANCE is immediately my new best friend.  I was like a kid in the candy store and sat on the edge of seat in anticipation of what the speaker would share.  She did not disappoint!  I will give you a few nuggets now, but you will have to come back for more because this topic deserves its own post.  She shared eight ways to demystify work-life balance: define success for yourself, manage the rhythm, create boundaries & rituals that uphold priorities, the rhythm changes, you can have it all; just not at the same time, we all need support, find your impression of balance and work-life harmony: independent, complementary.  Intrigued?  I thought that you might be.  Come back for more, I can’t wait to unpack this one!!

Women Who Make A Difference

If you don’t know who Veronika Scott is, you should!  She embodies the true definition of an empowered woman who is empowering women.  She shared in her keynote speech during the luncheon that what started as a class project to create a product that fulfilled a community need is now a nonprofit  organization that has distributed over 25,000 coats to those that are homeless all across the world.  Now that stat alone was enough for me to feel empowered, but she does so much more!  She also employs single parents (often times women) from local shelters and provides them with training and full-time employment as seamstresses so that they can earn a stable income, find secure housing, and regain their independence.  AMAZING!

Find Your Spark

Two amazing ladies gave “Ted talk” style speeches during this session.  One being my own personal Shero, Cara Snow who for years has been honoring a family tradition of picking up spare change during her morning runs, while standing in line at the grocery store and even when she travels on business trips.  She then takes that change and invests it back in the community.  Most recently she used the change to help beautify a historic Atlanta neighborhood, the Old 4th Ward.  After Cara, Dr. Eloisa Klementich challenged all 300 attendees to learn more about how we can impact transportation, education and affordable housing.  She closed out her speech alongside her daughters (who left school to join their amazing mom) and thrust open her blazer to reveal a SuperWOMAN t-shirt.  Basically I left this session with superpowers that I did not have before we began.

Women Who Transform

We are all constantly evolving and changing and the women that participated in panel discussions during this session shared insight on transforming your career, communities, others and culture.  I attended the culture breakout and shortly after introductions we dove right on in to race relations in the workplace, having courageous conversations, communicating with those that have different perspectives, “owning” our emotions vs removing them and living authentically.  So many gems were shared in this session that I will be diving in deeper and posting more on this session at a later date.  Come back for more!

Women Who Make Connections

The day closed with tying each of the sessions together.  The last two speakers encouraged attendees to use their voice to inspire change and make connections NOW to impact the FUTURE. We all have a voice and we can all channel our energy in ways that can make the world a better place.  I left the forum encouraged and inspired to EMPOWER.

Photo Credit: Candace Bazemore