In March of this year, Worth held its annual Women & Worth Summit in downtown New York City. Little did we know, it would be our last physical event of the year and the only opportunity for the Women & Worth community to convene face-to-face for who knows how long.
We called the event our “Power Forward” summit, and the program, sessions, speakers and attendees explored and defined what it means to lead with purpose, how to mobilize communities to impact change and shared best practices for overcoming systemic barriers that hold women and minorities back.
Six months on, we’ve experienced a global pandemic, the devastating murder of George Floyd and countless others, not to mention nearly 11 million jobs held by women disappeared from February to May—erasing a decade of job gains by women in the labor force. As a female CEO and mom, I’m acutely aware that powering forward is now more important than ever before.
Studies have shown that COVID-19’s disproportionate economic toll on women could create a larger gender wage gap during and immediately after this downturn, with some projecting that at the rate we’re going, the pay gap will not close until 2093. This has been a difficult time, as many of us are still dealing with COVID-19 and the racial inequity impacting communities across the world, and with this economic and social impact, it may only fuel changes that increase gender inequality in the long run.
To explore how life has changed over the past six months and to discuss why now more than ever it is important that we power forward, Worth has decided to organize a three-day Women & Worth Virtual Summit from Sept. 15-17. With over 35 speakers ranging from C-suite executives in traditionally male-dominated industries to pioneering company founders to those who are changing the way that we work, we hope to give our community the opportunity to learn, share, support and connect with attendees and speakers who’ve forged ahead during this tumultuous time, continuing their work to impact change, lead with purpose and overcome the systemic barriers holding women and minorities back from access to pay equity, promotion, board positions, wealth accumulation and capital.
Now, more than ever, the issues of equality and inclusivity need to be addressed, and through interactive panels and sessions, Worth will share strategies, resources and calls to action so that we can continue to power forward as we gear up for 2021.
If you think you could benefit from connecting with this community, register to attend the Women & Worth Virtual Summit here, and request an invitation to become a Women & Worth member.
We’ll be covering topics such as what the landscape looks like right now for investing in women and minorities, the rise of women in politics, how to get on a board, the importance of self-reflection, advancing your career through self-advocating, fueling entrepreneurship and much more.
Bringing these topics to life is a group of inspirational speakers, including Ellevest cofounder and CEO Sallie Krawcheck, Netflix VP of Inclusion Wade Davis, Indeed CEO Chris Hyams, The Female Quotient CEO Shelley Zalis and Strategic Advisor for the Joe Biden Presidential Campaign Ashley Etienne. All will be sharing the experiences that not only have shaped their careers, but also the lessons they have learned over the past six months, along with strategies and solutions we can use to power forward into 2021.
I’ll also be convening a panel of impressive leaders focused on tech for equality, including Global CIO Fumbi Chima, Pipeline Equity founder and CEO Katica Roy and SAP IO VP Vanessa Liu, who are all leaning into technology to help create a more equitable world.
Attendees will also hear words of wisdom from Dr. Angela Jackson, Dee Poku Spalding and Gina Hadley on the transformation of work, Nisa Amoils, Valarie J. McCall and Fernanda Carapinha on supporting female founders, and from Kara Goldin, founder and CEO of Hint, Inc. on building a profitable, purpose-led business, as well as Sharon Sager, Linda Davis Taylor and Etoy Ridgnal in one of our member-exclusive events on the importance of financial empowerment.
As we continue to build a more inclusive and equitable economy and help female founders and leaders build and scale their businesses, I would love to hear from you. What solutions are you putting in place to activate change and how are you powering forward?
The Women & Worth Virtual Summit will be held on Zoom from Sept. 15-17. Tickets are complimentary, but spaces are limited, so register today if you’d like to attend, and register your interest in becoming a Women & Worth member to join a selection of special member events. We hope to see you there.
