Women Powering Change

In July, the annual Women Powering Change event of all women owned businesses and non profit agencies gather under one roof, right near the Bronco's stadium in Denver, CO.

We had women from all over Colorado for the 2016 event! It was exciting. 

They had dance classes on site, interviews with KGNU, healthy foods to snack on while we woman'd information tables and explored hundreds of other exhibitor tables. 

The funnest part is seeing all those women smiling and discussing their passions with all the other women. 

...all with no holes barred. We at Business and Professional Women of Boulder came away with so many connections and also more folks interested in CEDAW (the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women). 

We all look forward to next year as it is done every year in Denver. 

2016 Annual Conference for Business & Professional Women of Colorado

In June, Boulder's chapter of Business and Professional women hosted our state wide event. Included in the VIP guest list was National President Liz Behram. Not only is she President of the National Federation of Business & Professional Women's Clubs, she part of and has a primary initiative of bringing equality to women of all levels.

Six Colorado chapters were present and shared their initiatives and updates of how they are furthering Business and Professional Women's purpose in their local communities. Our chapter, right here in beautiful Boulder, CO is dedicated to strengthening women through mentoring locally and connecting globally and advocating women worldwide.

Part of the weekend included raising funds for the Colorado Women's Education Fund. Its purpose is to provide money to women who want to continue their education and are older than 25. This fund made it possible for 6 women to receive scholarships to attend the annual conference.

Our lineup of VIP guests also included the women that impact and empower others through their work:

• Becca O’Brien Kuusinen, Keynote: The Power of Parity: How Advancing Women’s Equality Can Add $12 Trillion to Global Growth and $40 billion to Colorado
• Melissa Luna on “The Future of Talent Development Programs”
• Donna Roe Daniell “Women Empowering Women: How I Faced My Lifelong Fears by Climbing Mt. Killimanjaro with 5 African KISA Scholars

This two day event is open to everyone. Next year the conference is in Sterling, Colorado and we can't wait!

The Pendulum of Leadership Continues to Swing

Leadership shows up in many forms. Sometimes we recognize leadership more after the fact than in the moment. The readings we came together to discuss were from the time of the Civil War in the United States of America. You guessed it. Abraham Lincoln. And new to me, Sojourner Truth.

The words of Sojourner spoke of responsibility for us and our lives … on our life’s journey. 

At the same time, we are existing without impeding the journey of others. She speaks of equal capability - that regardless of race or sex we can do what another can do.

When things are not collaborative - the coming together to move ourselves and communities forward, there is a loss of dignity. Sojourner acknowledged how a person loses their dignity:

• Humiliation has happened.
• Individual strength comes from deep within their heart, regardless of what they are forced to do.
• What a person MUST do that is different than who they are.

Her voice, her experience, her view influenced Abraham Lincoln who also believed in his heart of hearts that all beings are equal and there is not a need to hold people down to get what we want. 

And, his leadership guided our country through a time where some felt they were losing their dignity and others were fighting to proudly own theirs.

The conversation turned to the relevance of her words (and his) today in our time…

Contribution is different than seeking power. We are told our value by the money we make for the job we do. We tell people and companies their value by the money we spend.

With equality being championed on many fronts - we’ve seen much change, legally, since 1960 including:

• Legalization of interracial marriage 
• Legalizing same-sex marriage
• One person, one vote
• Full access to all amenities
• Women’s access to contraceptives
• Women’s right to be Pro-Choice
• Illuminating men vs women stereotypes engrained in our culture

...The pendulum keeps swinging. 

When we can hold true our personal values (without imposing them on others) and be open to ideas that differs from our own, the grip of frustration and fear loses hold.

The women that participated in this conversation:

   Marcella Bentley-Salmon

   Sharon Simmons

   Karen McGee

   and me, Jessica Dewell

We want to hear your thoughts.
The excerpts from Sojourner Truth and Abraham Lincoln we discussed were from:

Title: Leadership: Essential Selections on Power, Authority, and Influence

Pages: 214-223

Our next book club meeting is November (you do not have to be a member to join us).
You can register here.

The confirmation email will detail the excerpt we will discuss, and it will be from the same book.