She thrives: Conference to empower women to be held in December
Published:Wednesday | December 1, 2021 | 12:08 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
IN AN effort to empower women, PROEVENTS Jamaica has launched its first-ever virtual conference, to be held December 11 and 12.
In acknowledgement of the stresses brought on by the pandemic affecting women of society, the ‘She Thrives,’ conference aims to revitalise those women who have felt demotivated and uninspired with dynamic and encouraging sessions by a roster of speakers that will help women to successfully navigate through their various issues.
Dr Michelle Rozen, the conference’s keynote speaker and America’s leading expert on dealing with change, dubbed ‘the change doctor’, will set the tone for the two-day seminar, delivering under the sub-heading, ‘The Power of Knowing How to Embrace Change and Leading Change with Confidence’.
Rozen, in her address at the launch of the conference held last Tuesday at AC Marriot Hotel, says, “It’s one thing to talk about change, it’s one thing to inspire and have the desire to change.” However, she questioned “How, as women, with all the unique challenges that they have, how do they create the kind of changes in their life that they want to see?”
EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR WOMEN
Affirming that every person is in need of receiving effective tools and the know-how on thriving through different challenges, Rosen will provide a step-by-step approach that women can take in making sustainable changes in their lives that would benefit them in the long run.
“Where we are right now is not where we want to be,” she added.
Sophia Butler, managing director at PROEVENTS Jamaica, added that “there is a topic for every one under every experience, whether it is personal, professional, financial ... a topic … that will empower every woman in any situation that they may find themselves [in].”
The panellists include gender equality advocate and former government senator, Imani Duncan-Price, Dr Jacqueline Coke-Lloyd, chief executive officer of Make Your Mark Consultations Limited, and Kalilah Reynolds (formerly Enriquez), Jamaica’s leading and most influential, award-winning business and finance journalist, among others, who will share their journey to success to inspire and motivate young girls, women, and male allies.
Duncan-Price applauds the initiative, stating that the last 18 to 20 months have been especially difficult for women in a different kind of way. Citing that, in Jamaica, women are typically the primary caregivers in homes and families, Duncan-Price says when the first COVID-19 cases affected the island, resulting in school closures and the implementation of work-from-home initiative,s there have been what felt like an added burden on the lives and roles of women who are mothers, businesswomen and wives. This is because they, too, have been extremely worried about what the pandemic would bring.
“The men also had to deal with the challenges as well but they were different,” she added.
AIMS TO UPLIFT WOMEN
As an advocate of gender equality, Duncan-Price says the seminar is not being held to portray, by any means, that one gender is better than the other, but simply seeks to uplift the women of society and the diaspora who would have gone through very different experiences to men during the pandemic.
“I encourage every woman and every ally of women to attend this conference to learn multiple skills, to build the toolkit and end the year 2021 strong and have an even stronger 2022,” she said.
The conference will also support the Her Flow Foundation’s Charity in its efforts to eradicate ‘period poverty’ among women and young girls who find it difficult to purchase on a monthly basis, their sanitary napkins and other necessities.
Part proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the foundation.