Leadership Luncheon

Leadership Luncheon provides a moment to focus on hope, instead of worry.

Posted on by Eduardo Romero

Last week’s Leadership Luncheon was as powerful as ever, but also a bit peculiar, in a good way.

Perhaps it was because it provided our community a much needed break from the pessimistic news we’ve been pummeled by, and offered a moment – or a few hours – to reflect on the possibility of hope.

The timing of this event was indeed propitious.

Who knew that October 15, 2008 would find itself ensconced within an economic environment full of unknowns alongside not a small amount of gloominess for leaders in our nonprofit and foundation community? What a better time, then,and what a grand opportunity for us as a philanthropic comunity to collectively take a deep breath–something that we’ve been deprived of through September and October.

Last week’s event allowed for a moment to relieve the pressure of the markets, those 401Ks and all those uncertainties, and look in a different direction.

What we saw were 10 people who told the story of The Women’s Foundation’s community’s history and future and who surely represented everyone gathered in the room. But those 10, and the event itself, also represented our community’s nonprofits, foundations, corporations, and individuals who all make our region a better place to live as a result of their investments and gifts.

Whatever may lie ahead of us as we look to the weeks and months beyond October 15, it was well worth declaring together that there are strong foundations (in more than one sense of the word) like The Women’s Foundation that serve as a mooring to keep us afloat, pointed in the right direction and moving forward.

I am proud to be associated in some small way with this work.

Eduardo Romero is Director of Membership at the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington. He also sponsored the 2008 Leadership Luncheon and serves on The Women’s Foundation’s Program Committee.

Hobo International looks forward to another celebration of the power of giving!

Posted on by Wendy Pierce

Hobo International is honored to participate in Washington Area Women’s Foundation’s 10th anniversary Leadership Luncheon!  What a wonderful opportunity for us as women to focus our energy in celebration of the power of women, and the incredible triumphs that result from the power of giving.

For the third year in a row, Hobo International will donate the “handbag centerpieces” that appear on the banquet tables. The Women’s Foundation is a natural partner for us. Their values and principles resonate with us and how we approach our work: Sound research, tested strategy, and real solutions that address the needs and realities facing women and girls today.

As a women-owned company, we at Hobo International can uniquely understand the triumphs and challenges that shape the female experience. The founder of Hobo International, Toni Ray, was a single mom who was forced to re-think her career after leaving the only job she had ever known. Through hard work and perseverance, Toni turned adversity into a new opportunity. And 20 years later, Hobo International is a thriving accessory design house, now under second generation leadership of Toni’s daughter, Koren Ray Brewer.

The work and mission of the Women’s Foundation changes lives. Everyday. Last year, program participants Laceiy and Sharan shared their life-changing journeys that were made possible with support from The Women’s Foundation. Their personal stories were inspirational.

And I wasn’t the only one to think so!  At the conclusion of the luncheon last year, two of the women who won bags from the table drawings noticed that Laceiy and Sharan didn’t win handbags—and gave them their bags.

In that moment, the spirit of The Women’s Foundation was captured: women helping women.

As we celebrate incredible women like Laceiy and Sharan for their courage and their personal triumphs over adversity, let us also remember that the power of giving can change lives.

We at Hobo International look forward to another exceptional Leadership Luncheon, and to making this year the most successful year to date!

Wendy Pierce is marketing director at Hobo International.

From Power Girls to a power lunch, Dr. Cole always inspires!

Posted on by Jennifer Cortner

I am so excited that Dr. Johnnetta Cole is going to be speaking at this year’s Leadership Luncheon.  I admire her and the work she is doing tremendously.

Last summer, I had the honor of getting to participate in her work directly, when I spoke at the Johnnetta B. Cole Global Diversity and Inclusion Institute’s Power Girls Summit.  As a gift after the summit, I received a wonderful, inspiring book of quotations by Dr. Cole, Dream the Boldest Dreams: And Other Lessons of Life. 

I thought I’d share a few of my favorites from the chapter called "Women" to help set the stage for the treat we’re in for with Dr. Cole speaking at our luncheon next week.  We’ve been talking a lot about her, but here are a few quotes that establish her ideas about women and women’s equality in her own voice:

The higher the pay, the less likely it’s going to be called women’s work.

It has been said: If you educate a man, you educate a man. If you educate a woman, you educate a nation.

We could stop a lot of things from falling if we just let women hold up half the sky.

A truly determined woman will succeed in doing what society has determined she is incapable of doing.

For us women folks, the distance between where we’ve been and where we’re going is surely determined by the speed at which we insist on going.

At The Women’s Foundation, we’re all about speeding things up for our region’s women and girls, and we’re thrilled to have Dr. Cole with us at this year’s Leadership Luncheon as we celebrate 10 years of our community’s efforts to close the gap between we’ve been and where we’re going! 

Jennifer Cortner is president of EFX Media, and a member of The Women’s Foundation’s board of directors.

Dr. Johnnetta Cole: A personal hero and inspiring leader.

Posted on by Lisa Kays

I was thrilled to hear that Dr. Johnetta B. Cole would be the keynote speaker at The Women’s Foundation’s upcoming Leadership Luncheon on October 15th!

I discovered Dr. Cole in 1994 when I read her book, Conversations: Straight Talk with America’s Sister President. The book includes a discourse on race, gender, and her experiences as an African American woman, and Dr. Cole urges the eradication of racist and sexist views through education, tolerance, and expanded social awareness.

I was particularly impressed with her candor, encouraged by her achievements, and appreciated and responded to her continued message that we can all make a difference in our communities, our country, and our world! 

Her consistent charge is: Go out and make this a better world!  Be involved!

She has continued to be a source of inspiration and hope for me as I have watched and supported her various endeavors from afar.  I am so looking forward to being in the audience as she moderates the luncheon.

Thank you Washington Area Women’s Foundation for acknowledging and including such an inspirational and motivational speaker in your Leadership Luncheon!

Ebony Ross, M.A., is a capacity building specialist with Fair Chance and is responsible for providing organizational development training during a free year-long partnership to executive directors of nonprofit organizations providing services to children and youth in Wards 5-8 in the District of Columbia.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: I'm thrilled to join you at the Leadership Luncheon to celebrate 10 years of investing in women and girls!

Posted on by Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole

In my work on gender issues, I am acutely aware of the disproportionate impact that poverty has on women—–and when women are mothers, on their daughters and sons.

As the former president of Spelman College and Bennett College for Women, our nation’s only two historically Black colleges for women, I witnessed the crucial link between education and a woman’s economic security. And we all know that a woman’s own education will have an influence on whether her children expect to have a college education and whether or not she can afford to send her children to college.

In my current role as the chair of the Johnnetta B. Cole Global Diversity and Inclusion Institute, I am keenly aware of the critical importance of advancing diversity and inclusion in our schools, our workplaces, and indeed in all arenas of our nation and our world. When different people are "at the table," different and innovative ideas come forth, and as a result, businesses can compete more successfully, schools can do a better job of educating students, and communities can more successfully tackle their problems.

There are countless examples of the value of bringing women and girls "to the table." That is why I am thrilled to have been invited to play a role in The Women’s Foundation’s Leadership Luncheon and 10th anniversary celebration.  Women’s philanthropy represents so much of what my work and learning have been about throughout my career:

The power of investing in women and girls.

The return on the investment for all of us when you bring a woman and her family out of poverty.

The power of people coming together to make a difference.

I understand that this year’s Leadership Luncheon will be like no other that has happened before. Rather than moderating a conversation among experts on a topic, I’ll be leading a special staged program that will at once be a discussion of the value of women’s philanthropy and the story of the collective power of giving together—told through the stories and experiences of key members of The Women’s Foundation community.

I’m really looking forward to being with you all on October 15th at the luncheon and to leading this exciting celebration capturing the power and potential of investing in women and girls!

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole is Chair of the Johnnetta B. Cole Global Diversity and Inclusion Institute and will be speaking at The Women’s Foundation’s 2008 Leadership Luncheon.

Tickets and sponsorships are still available!  We hope you can join us and experience firsthand The Power of Giving Together!

Fireside chats at Camp CEO reveal mixed messages facing today's young women.

Posted on by Phyllis Caldwell

After taking a few weeks off this summer, I’ve returned to The Women’s Foundation re-energized and excited about the coming months.

Having the time away also gave me time to think about the power of inspiring people to change the course of our lives and work by changing our perceptions of what is possible. I started thinking about this as I prepared my blog on one of my personal heroes and role models, Madame C.J. Walker, and the last few weeks have continued to lead me down this trail of thought.

Particularly my experience at Girl Scout Camp CEO, where I joined other women executives at to spend time with young women leaders in high school talking about the skills and qualities that lead to success and leadership in the corporate world—and life in general.

Spending a hot summer day roughing it with these bright, energetic young women, and sharing my experience as a woman in business and now as the leader of a nonprofit, reminded me of the importance of the mentors that had made a difference for me—that had inspired me to think of my potential in terms far greater than I might have imagined on my own.

As I worked on badges and sang camp fire songs with these young women, I was inspired by their confidence, their intelligence, and their proud sense of all they could do in this world. Of their sense of unlimited potential, and of their determination to unlock it in themselves, and in each other.

I couldn’t help but wonder who their role models were, and what messages were helping them develop this broad sense of who they could be?

Was it the impact of seeing Hillary Clinton run for president, or knowing that Nancy Pelosi was the first female speaker of the House that had to do with their bold ambitions? Was it seeing Michelle Obama’s successful career, poise and leadership as the potential first African American First Lady?  How much of their optimism was driven by their mothers, their sisters, their teachers, their Girl Scout leaders?

But as the week wore on, and many of the young women were far more able to identify and discuss a contestant on American Idol than Nancy Pelosi, it struck me that their hard-won sense of place in the world had emerged through a far more complicated set of messages than I could have ever imagined—even with two daughters of my own.

For their role models seemed to be the contestants on the reality shows they followed enthusiastically, which showed them that fame and fortune could happen overnight. And the movie and television personalities—from Beyonce to Angela Jolie — who made it look effortless to achieve lifestyles of incredible wealth and fame, and stunning good looks.

These figures were such a far cry from the hard working, disciplined, bright, serious women before me with expectations of success in a diverse array of careers that I couldn’t help but wonder where the balancing messages came from.

Were there real life examples of success of political, academic or medical leaders that touched them?  Who are the voices that have been able to cut through the many messages that tell young women that their worth is their appearance, their ability to fit in, the size and shape of their bodies?  Who have been the examples that have, like Siobhan reminded us earlier this month, shown them that a woman is evaluated for her mind far more than her looks, for her mental strength more than the numbers on scale?

This led me back to thinking about last year’s Leadership Luncheon, and the power of the stories shared by Laceiy and Sharan, about how they overcame harsh obstacles to utterly transform the course of their lives—about how they were shown the power of their potential and found the strength to unlock it.

Even when it seemed someone had not only hidden the key, but thrown it away.

And this is the power behind inspiration, I realized.  And why the voices of those close to the young women at Camp CEO–the voices of their personal mentors and role models—are able to get through to them, cutting though the chatter of easy success and glamour that is thrown at them every day from every angle.

And why Laceiy and Sharan had found the strength to change their lives.

Not because someone on TV told them to. Or because a movie inspired them. Or because they saw someone do it on Project Runway.

But because real people shared their stories—their defeats, their challenges, and their obstacles—and how they overcame them.

And in so doing held up a mirror that showed not only what was, but what could be.

And that is why I’m so re-energized and thrilled to be back at The Women’s Foundation and the work we do here. Because our work is precisely that—to hold up that mirror for women and girls throughout our region.

And to ourselves.

For by coming together, and giving together, we are able to see that our collective potential to change lives—and our community—is unlimited.

And that’s what is so exciting for me about the Leadership Luncheon.  Because giving together is at the heart of our work every day, all the time, but the luncheon is the opportunity to see it, to feel it, and to experience it all at once, in one room, at one time.  To truly understand the power of real people to come together to show one another—whether a CEO at a high-powered corporation or a woman on the journey to change her life—that, acting together, we can do anything.

That’s a true power lunch.

Phyllis Caldwell is president of The Women’s Foundation.

Women's philanthropy: Steppin' up to social change, together.

Posted on by Lisa Kays

On Wednesday, the day our challenge grant closed more than $25K over our goal, I couldn’t help but notice the serendipity when I saw this headline across my reader: "Women step up in philanthropy."

Don’t they ever.

The article focuses on women’s philanthropy in Utah, but illustrates the general and growing power of women’s philanthropy everywhere.  What is true in Utah is certainly true here, where our Leadership Luncheon just broke a record breaking attendance goal of 1,500 and a fundraising goal of $1 million.

The lesson we learned?  Never doubt the power of women’s philanthropy.

And it’s not just here.

In her piece, the author explains how women’s roles in philanthropy have shifted dramatically, from stamp lickers to the social change agents making the decisions and writing the checks.

The article states: "Women’s philanthropy is a rising trend. You’re seeing women have access to financial resources as never before," said Kathy LeMay, a professional "social change fund-raiser" and president and CEO of Raising Change.  "Always, women have been combining their time, their talent and their treasure to make a difference," she said. "This is the time for women to have the greatest impact for women in history. Hands down."

The article discusses some of the fundamental differences between men in philanthropy and the way women do it.

"More so than men, women tend to become more involved in a cause than simply donating money on a regular basis, LeMay said. They also tend to better leverage their donor dollars by invoking what she calls the "three Cs" of philanthropy: connection, collaboration and community.  Philanthropy is one of the vehicles where women can affect change … it’s a place where a lot of women find their voice," she said.

I couldn’t help but wonder if LeMay had been hanging around these halls when I read that, and taking a glance in at our committee meetings, at our board’s tremendous involvement, at a Leadership Awards deliberation meeting, at our site visits–where women are participating, every day, and lending their voice to our work, to their community.

Finally, the article ends on the note that women must live their values with their money.  "Write checks where your heart lives," she added.  "The possibilities are available to every single woman in that room.  Together we’re stronger. Don’t try to go it alone."

These words sound like a page out of our Leadership Luncheon, where Ralph F. Boyd, Jr., Executive Vice President of Community Relations, Freddie Mac and Chairman of the Freddie Mac Foundation, reminded us of the proverb, "To go fast, go alone.  To go far, go with others."

Or out of African American Women’s Giving Circle member Claudia Thorne’s thoughts in this blog, and in her Washington Post op-ed, on all she has gained from giving together, on the importance of giving with the heart.

Today, this spirit is catching, particularly among women, whether they’re giving their time, their talent or their treasure.  Whether they’re giving $10 or $10,000.   Whether they’re giving in Salt Lake City or Washington, D.C. 

Together, women are looking to give together, to give smarter, to give where they are, in their own backyard, to build better communities by supporting other women.

The Power of Giving Together.  It knows no bounds.

To step up to find out how you can join the powerful wave that is women’s philanthropy in your backyard, click here if you’re in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. 

If not, visit the Women’s Funding Network to find a women’s fund or foundation near you.

Leadership Luncheon '07 raises $1 million! We did it!

Posted on by Marion Ballard

Well, I just came out of a wrap-up meeting of the Development Committee about our fantastic Leadership Luncheon.  Who would have believed it was possible to raise a million dollars from a luncheon?

Last year we thought we were pretty great to raise $670,000.  A goal of $1 million for 2007? No way!

But WE DID IT.  Amazing!

Last year, we thought we were pretty great to have 1,225 people at the luncheon.  But this year, we had just over 1,500 there (give or take those who showed up with guests unexpectedly and those who didn’t show).

An amazing increase!

The Omni Shoreham ballroom was bursting at the seams.  Not just with people, but with excitement, enthusiasm, good will and dedication to a worthy cause.

Only superlatives can be used to describe every aspect of the luncheon – the video, the program, the WAWIT participants, the panel, all the materials – even the food.

It happened because of the wonderful network of committed board members, staff and Leadership Luncheon Committee members who worked all summer long to make this luncheon so very special and very successful. I had the honor of being the chair of the Leadership Luncheon Committee and am awed by the effort of our 33 members to expand our network thoughtfully, thoroughly and productively.

I think I should quit while I’m ahead.  I can’t imagine a more successful luncheon in the future!

But there will be.  Stay tuned.

We’re brainstorming about it already.

Marion Ballard chaired the 2007 Leadership Luncheon Committee, and has played an instrumental role in every Leadership Luncheon The Women’s Foundation has held.  She is a former board member and a tremendous supporter of The Women’s Foundation.  She truly epitomizes all of the ways that you can give back and be a part of The Women’s Foundation and changing women’s lives.  Learn more about how you can become part of The Power of Giving Together.

Leadership Luncheon '07: The Power of Giving Together is catching!

Posted on by Allison Mitchell

People everywhere are joining the powerful wave of philanthropy that is The Women’s Foundation.

Our community was challenged at the 2007 Leadership Luncheon to raise $50,000 by October 24th.  And when we do, every dollar will be matched three times.

For every one dollar invested, The Women’s Foundation will receive $3 more.

You’re doing the math, I can tell.

In the end, if we meet this match, we’ll end up with at least $1 million for the women and girls of our community.

As a result of these matches, which are bringing out The Power of Giving Together, we’ve been amazed by the support we’re receiving–from near and far, small and big.

We’ve received donations from $10 to $1000. 

New supporters of The Women’s Foundation, Erin Currier and Drew Smith, gave a donation because they knew that the small amount they could give would transform into so much more.

And they’re right!

Their $50 contribution will turn into $200 if we meet our match.

Help us get there by tomorrow–October 24th!  Donate now.

Leadership Luncheon '07: A behind the scenes take on transformation.

Posted on by Lisa Kays

Putting on a luncheon for 1,500 people isn’t easy.  As the event gets closer and closer, one finds oneself so mired in the millions of important details that you can’t remember anymore what you’re really working for.

You can’t see the forest, in other words, for the trees.  Or, the purpose for the nametags.

It begins, after a while, from the inside, to feel like chaos for the sake of chaos.

And then you’re at the event, and after all the running around and the worrying and the making sure everyone is seated, the video comes on.

And you remember, instantaneously, what it’s all really about.

I remember vividly standing against the wall in the back of the ballroom watching that video for the first time and thinking, this is real, this transformation.  It’s not just a slogan or a logo or a theme.

The change is real.

Watching Laceiy’s story, and then hearing her and Sharan tell their stories to all 1,500 of us, without nary a cracking voice, you could feel it.

That the power of everyone in that room, and everyone who supports The Women’s Foundation and the work of our Grantee Partners, was working.

That it was changing lives, changing families, changing women, changing everything.

When you see a group of women sitting around a construction work site talking about changing their lives, and supporting each other and sticking through the challenges of moving into work that most never even consider as women’s work, you know.

This change is real, and it’s big, and it’s unstoppable.

And that it’s not just about Laceiy or Sharan or the many women who will follow in their footsteps, but that it’s about all of us.

That when we invest in and open new doors and pave new pathways for women and girls anywhere, it impacts women everywhere by removing barriers, changing perceptions and removing limits.

And that’s what I thought about as I stood against the wall at the luncheon, watching the video, and then listening to Laceiy and Sharan tell their stories, is about how it’s easy to get lost in the details and the statistics and the numbers when it comes to investing in social change, in building communities, in contributing to stronger families.

Sometimes, you can lose the forest for the trees, or the story for the statistics. 

Because really, sometimes, what it all comes down to is one opportunity, one chance, one choice.

One pathway to change a life, a family, and a future.

And that’s what I love about The Women’s Foundation.  Is that we do that every day, mulitiplied thousands of times over throughout our region.

We invest in stories of lives changed.

And once a year, we get together to celebrate that investment, that choice, that strategy.  To remember the stories, for the trees.

It rocked.

Ready to invest in women and girls and create more stories of tranformation?  Help us meet our challenge grant, or find another way to get involved in The Power of Giving Together.  There’s a place for everyone at The Women’s Foundation.  Find yours today.