Blog: Empowering Women of All Ages

Women have certainly come a long way since I first started in business in the early 80’s, and I am all for it! Support groups, workshops and seminars abound and this weekend a major event will be taking place here in our backyard at UC Irvine.

The 11th edition of the Women’s Journey Conference brings noteworthy speakers like New York Times best selling author Marianne Williamson, and actress and women’s advocate Robin Givens, to inspire and educate a roomful of women, as well as men. I recall listening to Marianne Williamson about 25 years ago and even though I thought her conversations were geared towards only women, I was 100 percent wrong, and her words spoke to me just as strongly.

The event is open to the public and is not just for women ”but engages all age groups and brings generations of women together for a day of education, enrichment, empowerment and celebration,” according to event organizer Patty Turrell of Costa Mesa. 

“We provide a day-long program of motivating workshops, inspiring speakers, invigorating entertainment and appealing shopping opportunities intermixed with periods for self-reflection and camaraderie, and also offer a free self-esteem program for girls aged 8 to 18 years," Turrell said. "Included in that program are young relatives of attendees and girls from various foster care and nonprofit organizations, such as Childs-Pace Foundation, Childhelp and Orangewood Children’s Foundation.” 

Also on the platform are BJ Gallagher, author and speaker who wrote, “A Peacock in the Land of Penguins” and “Everything I Need To Know, I Learned from Other Women;” Marci Shimoff, author of "Love for No Reason,” “Happy for No Reason” and “Chicken Soup for the Women’s Soul”; and Claire Zammit, co-creator and co-leader of the Feminine Power courses for women and the co-founder and co-leader of the Feminine Power Global Community.

Josefa Salinas, radio personality and community affairs director for 92.3 Los Angeles, will serve as emcee. She wrote "101 Things to Know Before You Date My Daughter, My Best Friend, or Me,”  and has collaborated with LA’s mayor to create more than 1,000 community service projects throughout Los Angeles and has created the program, “How To Be a Girl” for the Pursuit of Excellence Institute. It is a program focused on teaching girls about personal finances, social pressures, leadership and social graces, among other skills.

For more information or to donate to the nonprofit WJC or to purchase tickets, go to www.womensjourneyconference.com or call 877-657-8464. Tickets for the full-day event are $60 and young women aged 8 to 18 years are free when accompanied by an adult.