Philadelphia Leaders Tackle Teen Self Esteem

by Shalita Hale


While the highly acclaimed motion picture, Precious, with it’s shocking depictions of the gross abuse of a young woman, is still fresh on our hearts and blogs; the United States’ oldest women’s funding federation, Women’s Way, sponsors a free half day conference that will focus on promoting a healthy sense of self for young women. Women & Influence: Confident Girls, Courageous Women, is the 7th annual free conference of Women’s Way and will be held on this Saturday, December 5th, from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM at the Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia. High School aged girls and adults who care about them will participate in workshops and candid discussions on topics including: the importance of mentorship, body image and self esteem, sexuality and healthy relationships, and leadership. State Representative Cherelle Parker, Susan Garrison, of The Center Foundation, Angelica Biaz, a student leader from The Garage Youth Center, and Jan Figueira, of Girls Inc. will discuss the importance of mentorship on a panel moderated by Woman’s Way Board Chairman, Emily Lawrence. Cherelle Parker is expected to speak on her personal story of how her mentor impacted her professional life as a public figure. Congresswoman Blondell Reynolds Brown will be the event’s keynote speaker. “This has been a top identified need since the beginning of our women’s issues summit 6 years ago.” says Rebecca Foley, Women’s Way’s Director of Education and Advocacy Initiatives, “We are focused on empowering women and empowering them at a young age. We feel it was time to do a conference like this.” The event has had a positive response and is oversubscribed, but there is a wait list available. Participants can find more information about Women’s Way and the Women & Influence Event at www.womansway.org or by contacting Cate Galbally at cgalbally@womensway.org.