In honor of International Women's Day on March 8, 2021, Amway, Inforum, Meijer and Spectrum Health are hosting an online event, allowing women from across the country to meet virtually to discuss timely global issues.
The focus of the 9th annual event, taking place from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., will be activism, allyship and advocacy—themes especially relevant after a particularly tumultuous 2020.
The event will feature several keynote speakers, including Dr. Shirley Davis, President and CEO of SDS Enterprises LLC., a global workforce and talent management solutions firm who has also been featured on "The Today Show" and National Public Radio, as well as in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Essence, Black Enterprise, The Washington Post and Inclusion Magazine, for her contributions to industry and supporting others voices.
Event participants will also have the opportunity to choose a breakout session to attend:
The World is Changing. Correction. The World Has Changed!
Speaker: Heidi Frye, creator of UPwords Inc.
In this time of uncertainty, as leaders, professionals, business owners and citizens, we need new strategies and perspectives—for ourselves and those we lead. During this workshop, participants will explore reactions to change, learn "tricks" for coping during stressful times—both for personal use and sharing with others—explore the psychological nature of change, and learn to identify change issues in others.
Is That Lining Really Silver? It Looks Gray to Me
Speaker: Dot Proux, Executive Coach, Leadership Development Facilitator, Daniel Goleman Emotional Intelligence Coaching Certification Program Meta-Coach
Emotional intelligence is a key part of mental and emotional health, especially in times of crisis, uncertainty and volatility. This session will focus on the Emotional Intelligence (EI) competency of Positive Outlook, including a self-assessment to help participants personalize how they synthesize and interact with the information in the discussion. They'll explore how we can enhance our brains' ability to support us in developing our Positive Outlook competency, and participants will learn two thought exercise techniques for dealing with anxiety/worry and self-confidence/the inner critic.
Shell-Shocked: Managing Stress in Times of Racial Unrest
Speaker: Latrice Sampson Richards, CEO of Sampson Therapeutic Services, LLC and founder of TheBlackUnicornProject.com
Racial trauma is the outcome of the ongoing experience of racism and discrimination, either through personal experience or the witnessing of others' experiences. During this time of racial unrest, many Black, Indigenous and people of color find themselves struggling to manage the stress of it all. This talk aims to open the door to an honest and authentic discourse around a topic that is as American as apple pie. During the session, participants will learn how to identify the emotional effects of direct and indirect racial trauma; the shared impact of racial trauma on productivity and daily functioning; and how to create a safe space for the processing of racial trauma in the workplace.
The event also includes a panel discussion, Together Toward Tomorrow: A Panel Discussion on Allyship, featuring Molly Murray, lead employee relations specialist at Amway; Lynette Ackley, Vice President, Merchandising, Fresh at Meijer; Ovell Barbee, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, and Chief Diversity Officer of Spectrum Health; and Stella Michael, Information Services Director, Spectrum Health.
Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by visiting Inforum.
Written by Sarah Suydam, Managing Editor for West Michigan Woman.
Photo courtesy of Inforum.
