Dining For Women Conference

Dining For Women

Knowledge is Power Conference May 4-5

US Institute of Peace, Washington DC

Over 300 chapter members, leaders, grantees, staff, and volunteers gathered in Washington to celebrate DFW’s 15th Anniversary and help plan the future. The energy, sharing, laughter, and learning could not be beaten! Safe to say we all wanted the weekend to continue – how many conferences can you say that about?

See more on DFW’s Facebook and website and, if you’re not a member already – find a Chapter near you and join now!

As one wonderful grantee said at the beginning of her panel remarks, “I didn’t realize it before I came, but this feels like a secret society. You can say anything and everyone just helps you!”

Our 19th Annual Film Festival!

The Through Women’s Eyes (TWE) Film Festival was back at the Sarasota Hollywood 11 this April, bigger and better than ever. Once again we partnered with the Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) and our fantastic line-up of 19 short and six feature TWE films included:

  • “On Her Shoulders,” a riveting documentary about Nadia Murad, a Yazidi in Northern Iraq
  • “Half the Picture,” Amy Adrion’s exploration of women in Hollywood, and, of course,
  • “RBG,” the full-length feature which reveals the notorious Ruth Bader Ginsberg before, well, before she was notorious!

I’m delighted to add that RBG won the audience choice award for the entire combined Sarasota Film Festival and TWE.

Through Women’s Eyes is an annual program of the Gulf Coast Chapter of UN Women-USNC. Our Chapter works to educate the community about gender equality, advocate on behalf of women and girls, and fundraise to support the global programs of UN Women. As Chapter President, I get to witness both the incredible amount of work that goes into this festival as well as the final products on the screen – and of course the reactions of audiences as they see films that make them laugh, cry, and above all, turn to their seatmates and start discussing.

 

UNIFIED at UNA Tampa

 

United Nations Association (UNA) in Tampa/St Pete hosted UNIFIED, a Gender Equality Live Art Event in July.

I was delighted to help our sister UN agency by moderating a panel of fantastic women: Lorna Taylor, CEO of Premier Eyewear and Chair of Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts (TBBCA); Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida; and Beth Houghton, Executive Director of St. Petersburg Free Clinic. 

Thanks to the entire team at UNA for such a great event.