Fear is the Devil's Way of Obstructing Progress 
by Charmaine Damon, Member

Hawaii’s 6th Annual International Women’s Leadership Conference 2009, hosted by Governor Linda Lingle, was held on September 22nd at the Sheraton Waikiki. World-renowned women leaders from across the globe, including the Philippines, China, Australia, England, Israel, Liberia, Canada and the United States and nearly 1,000 guests, almost all women, gathered for a day of inspiration and interaction.  In her welcome, Governor Lingle quotes A. Vickery, American business author, “Four short words sum up what has lifted most successful individuals above the crowd: a little bit more. They did all that was expected of them and a little bit more.” Governor Lingle concluded, “…it is my hope that during this conference, you envision a way you can do ‘a little bit more.’”  
 
The speaker who made the greatest impression on me was Beatrice Munah Sieh-Browne from Monrovia, Liberia.  Beatrice is a soft-spoken, genial woman who had a typical upbringing.  She is humble and grateful for all the blessings in her life. Meeting her casually, I would never guess the immense authority she wields or the courage it took for her to achieve her position as the head of the Liberian National Police.

Growing up in Liberia, Beatrice saw the motorcycle officers in the police Traffic Division and she aspired to one day be a motorcycle officer herself, never mind that there had never been a female motorcycle officer before.  As a young woman, she hand-printed a sign that said “Fear is the devil’s way of obstructing progress”, and taped it to her wall. When she was ready to establish herself as an independent adult, she pursued her desire to ride motorcycles and, in 1979, became the first female motorcycle officer in the Liberian police force. Little did she know that stereotyping of women was the least of the terrors she would face and that she would look to the sign on her wall many, many times before she once again found safety in her life.

Beatrice succeeded in police work and soon moved on to riot control officer and then detail commander.  She was commissioned chief of traffic ticketing in late 1985. Next there came years of civil unrest in Liberia that grew into a bloody civil war that shattered the country. During these years, Beatrice continued to serve, first as assistant director of police for operations and later as deputy director of operations at the Liberian National Police Force.

She attributes her rise to deputy director of operations in part to the fact that rebels had killed so many police officers. Imagine the courage it took to take on positions of greater responsibility when your predecessors were killed while serving in those positions!  While she cultivated her career, she also cultivated professional relationships. Her stories told me two things about her.  One, she has great perseverance.  Both her safety and that of her family were threatened. At one point she sent her five year old daughter to the United States to keep her safe. But she and her sons stayed in Liberia and fought on.  Throughout her life, Beatrice was able to take challenges and turn them into opportunities. She exhibits one of the fundamental skills of successful leaders. Glenn Furuya, founder of Leadership Works, has made a life-long study of the traits that make inspired leaders. He explains that real leaders, when met with petty tyrants (challenges or roadblocks), look at the situation and find a way to “flip it”, meaning that they turn the obstacles into opportunities for success. 

The second thing I learned about Beatrice is that she used her natural caring heart, good nature and nurturing instincts to her advantage as a leader. She recounts times when she sacrificed personal advancement to help her fellow officers. She became a mentor to other women desiring to do police work. She lived her values of “accountability, transparency and respect for human rights” and she nurtured those around her. At the darkest, most dangerous of times, the seeds she sowed would grow to the harvest that ultimately saved her and her family.

Although Beatrice was succeeding in her career, she inevitably ran into a tyrant that proved to be anything but “petty”. She had a confrontation with the then-police chief Joseph Tate about what she perceived as corruption in the police forces. “This was a very dangerous time,” she says, “All five warring factions were represented in the police force.”  Her home was attacked and shot up by gunmen. Fortunately, she had been tipped off ahead of time and was able to get herself and her family out of the home before any harm came to them. It was the trust and respect that grew out of her nurturing leadership that saved her.

Even for the courageous Beatrice, the situation was too dangerous. In 1996, she packed up her family and moved to the United States where she earned her Masters Degree in Education and became a junior high school teacher. She joked that her background made her well-suited to deal with the students! But her next comment was not so funny. She said children of the same age in Liberia were child-soldiers, carrying weapons.  As she taught in the U.S., the civil war ran its course in Liberia. Beatrice referenced the movie  “Send the Devil Back to Hell” (sometimes called “Pray the Devil Back to Hell”), an independent film that, according to one reviewer, “chronicles the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country.”  She said the women “forced them to put down their weapons and rebuild the country”.  Watch the video

In the aftermath of the war, Beatrice was summoned back to Liberia by the newly elected Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. In March 2006, Beatrice was appointed by President Sirleaf to head the Liberian National Police. Beatrice fired all current police personnel and rebuilt the force from scratch. They had no long-range communications, antiquated laws in conjunction with new human rights initiatives actually made it easier for criminals to get away with their crimes, and there were no forensic labs and no working relationship with Interpol.  Even today, there is work needed in arming police and stereotyping is still a great challenge. So what does Beatrice say about the current situation?  True to her natural leadership traits, she says, “Take all negatives and view them as positives.  Nothing happens for nothing.”

Internationally, she sees violence against women as an ongoing problem. One challenge, she says, is that women are invisible in many ways. They have a cultural pre-disposition and early training to accept their position in life. “Rape is an instrument fighters use to dehumanize women.” So what can we do?  “Women are very creative and honor cultural traditions and values and uphold human rights. We women need to be the watch out for each other.” She gave us the following goals:

		All women leaders should teach an upcoming woman – mentor another woman.
		Be able to accept criticism.
		Work harder to get recognition.
		Be patient and disciplined and exercise good behavior.
		Women in key positions should find solutions to violence against women. “Violence is a tool used to make women retreat.”
		Learn to speak with authority and integrity. Nothing should deter you from your goals.
		As a leader, be tough but look, listen and nurture.
		Muster your courage. Always do the very best with the least of opportunities given to you.

I Was Inspired
By Kaia Kong, Member

At the beginning of the Women's Leadership Conference, I was unsure of what to expect. I thought that perhaps it would be people speaking about "girl-power" and "sisterhood". However, as the conference unfolded, and we listened to the presenters' stories, my perspective changed. These women had incredible experiences, intelligence, and poise which filled their audience with feelings of hope and inspiration.

One of my favorite speakers was former Lieutenant Commander Heidi Kraft, who was a psychologist for the U.S Navy. She was astoundingly brave throughout her career in the military, and she continues to help soldiers today. I feel fortunate to have been able to attend this encouraging and eye-opening event, and to be able to see the progress that women have made in the world.

I will be the first to admit that when something goes wrong I look for the reason behind it. Oftentimes, or maybe I should say most times, looking for that reason involves me also looking for something or someone to blame. I usually find a way to blame myself but I am definitely guilty of pointing fingers at other people or, when all else fails, blaming the universe for working against me.

Because of these thoughts, what struck me most about Jeannette Walls’ memoir, The Glass Castle, is the lack of blame and bitterness. She doesn’t hide the truth about how she grew up: the extreme poverty, what would be considered by many as abuse, the missing positive role models and support that you would expect from parents, the instability of never truly having a home. But what Jeannette doesn’t do is ask the ever famous question “Why me?”. Instead of a story about difficulty she shows us a tale of strength. Where there should be reports on the failures of misguided parents, we learn about siblings banding together against nearly impossible odds to help each other move forward. What should have been a book with a depressing ending is a book that leaves me filled with hope. I can admire Jeannette for doing what it has to take to survive and to live with a family with so many problems that even after reading her story, it is hard to imagine how they ever managed to persevere but more then that, I can admire her for coming through extreme adversity and still having the strength of character to love and care about her family. At one particularly difficult point Jeannette’s mother tells her “Everyone has something good about them…You have to find the redeeming quality and love the person for that”. Perhaps that is the way Jeannette is able to view her family and maybe this is a way we should look at life in general. There are bad times, some worse then others, some more harsh on different people but that is not all there is. Mixed among the trials and tribulations there are love, hope and dreams, if we are only willing to see them. Maybe if we learn to look forward instead of back in bitterness, we will start to build a Glass Castle of our very own.

So, from The Glass Castle and from Jeannette Wall I take away not only an interesting story that exposes me to another way of living but a new perspective on looking at my own problems and difficulties. Her ability to share her trying story and to not come across as bitter or even as victim, to me, makes her a new kind of hero.

Book Club



Members on Wine

The only kind of wine I drink is champagne. 
-- Mary Beth Lohman, Member

I drank a great rose at an outdoor cafe in Antibes, France.  It was like a dream.
-- Lia Young, Member

I heard boxed wines are gaining acceptance.
-- Dave Washburn, Member
The Changing Shape of Wine. Move Over Bottles!  Read article

At Target, its called "cubed" wine.
-- Georgi Decosta, Member
I couldn't believe it Georgi but you were right!  Read article

Red, white, bubbly -- I like it all!
-- Sarita Corn, Member

I do not drink cab EVERY night!

-- Judy Allen, Member

 

I don't drink it!
-- Marisa Pollard, Member

I like my wine distilled (I'm a cognac drinker). My Brother told me that cognac is wine for alcoholics - but he said it over the rim of his beer stein so it didn't bother me!
- Charmaine Damon, Member
 

Never ever ask for a White Zin on the Wine Train... especially while its moving!
-- Karen Weikert, Member

In vino veritas - in wine there is truth!

-- Joanna Amberger, Member

Wine or Whine?  The answer is obvious =)
-- Marlo Nishimoto, Member

How do you pronounce Sommelier?
-- Darren H., Member
Here you go Darren.  Hear it!


Favorite Wine Sites
"Me, I Practice!"  How Much Do You Drink?  Read blog
6 Reasons to Drink Wine Everyday.  Read article

 

Next Lunch Club Event: 
October 6th
The Unsophisticated Connoisseur: Simply Wine

When Asked Why
By Annie B. Kamiya, Member

I was glad to be given the opportunity to think about why I became a YWCA member.  It helped me to explore the relationships I have, and have had, with powerful women in my life, women who touched and moved me in immeasurable ways.

I think about my grandmother and my mother.  I was raised primarily by these two women since my father often worked grave yard shifts and, well, was constantly working to make sure we didn’t go without.  I missed my father then but I treasured those times with these two women.  Both were staunch human and women’s rights activists, no small feat for two women working in the small Oregon farming community where traditional roles of women and men reigned supreme.  They regaled me with stories of what it meant to stand up for others, to advocate.  To not only be “charitable” but to give of oneself to support others in their journey, on their path.  They also allowed me the space and the time to try out what I wanted, to fail in their presence and learn from my mistakes, to act out, be obstinate and then learn how patience, kindness and listening were more effective tools.  They continually brought me into circles of women and I watched women mentor young girls, young girls teach mothers, aunties and Tutus teach their daughters.  They surrounded me with love, encouragement, beauty, passion and grace.  My grandmother died five years ago in August so these memories remind me what I have to give, why I became a social worker, what drives me to be part of an organization like the YWCA.

So, being a YWCA member is not only about the perks that come with your annual payment – gym access, free WIFI, programs, the excellent heated pool, access to afterschool care for kids, the café and so on – but about the community of women I get access to who inspire me, educate me, encourage me, mentor me, and who support other women in their communities who simply need a person to assist them on their path when they lose their way.  I hope to do the same.

--Annie B. Kamiya, MSW

Join Annie's YWCA Community



Smells Like Stinky Feet 
by Lia Young, Member

Do you know what viognier is? 
I didn't know until I took a wine class. 

My husband picks up the glass and looks at me incredulously.  "What is this mysterious white wine," he says with a raised eyebrow.  I just stare at him with a small smile and I shrug.  We do the customary swirl of the glass to bring out the smells and flavors, and then stick our noses in for the sniff.  Wow, interesting smell.  Kind of like... "feet!" my husband exclaims.  He elaborates more, "This smells like stinky feet."  Well that's weird because I don't smell stinky feet.  I smell a nice, but different aroma.  (This is our first real introduction to French wine, hence the description of the aroma being "different.") So we agree to disagree about the smell.  Next, on to the taste.  We both take a small sip, letting the wine sit on our tongue for a moment before swallowing.  It tastes okay to me.  I look over and he's making a gagging face.  "Tastes like feet too!"  He says this with a grimace. 

Wait, what's going on here?  Why don't I smell feet?  Or actually why does he smell feet?  Who knows? We all have different likes and dislikes, but the point is we tried it and now we know what wine made from the viognier grape tastes like.  Yep, viognier is a grape.  Now I know that and I know to never order for my husband wine produced in the Rhône Valley districts of Condrieu and Château-Grillet of southern France.   (Viognier is the only permitted grape variety grown in those districts.)  How interesting!  

What are we tasting next?  Come to the next Lunch Club event, a special pau hana event at Laniakea, and educate and tease your palette.   

Next Lunch Club Event: 
October 6th
The Unsophisticated Connoisseur: Simply Wine

Everybody works.  It is a fact of life.  From your job, to your home, to your family, to your relationships; work is not just restricted to your job.  Yet, the concept of work seems to have a negative vibe to it.  It is often thought of as wwww---ooo-rrr-kkk, “I guess I have to go to work.”  However, if you don’t think of work as just your job, other types of work can be very enjoyable.  If work is so un-enjoyable and such a burden, why is raising your children so rewarding, or why is helping others so satisfying?

In Western countries, the thought of work carries traces of pre-industrial, religious and secular traditions of simultaneous glorification and denigration.  Judeo-Christian beliefs are very influential and create the normative attitude to the concept of work.  In the Book of Genesis, God’s work of creation takes six days and he rests on the seventh. After Eve takes a fruit from the forbidden tree and both she and Adam are expelled from the Garden of Eden, in addition to acquiring knowledge of good and evil, Adam is condemned to work.

Adam is ‘sent forth from the Garden of Eden to till the land from whence he was taken’ (Genesis 3:23) and is told: ‘In the sweat of thy face shalt though eat bread’ (3:19).  According to this biblical interpretation, work has a negative view in comparison to the “idyllic life in the Garden of Eden.”  Thus work is seen as punishment and a burden.  Not only does the concept of work carry a negative connotation, but the concept of work is also defined as producing a good in order for it to be consumed.  Work is generally measured by what it produces and what can be used.  Work is a means to an end.

This article’s purpose is to re-discover the meaning of work and destroy the concept of working out as work.  If work is generally measured by what can be used, how is working out considered to be productive?  The negative connation of work which is a consequence of the interpretation of the book of Genesis and the perception that work is a means to achieving what is thought of as good needs to be eliminated. 

Work should not be thought of as a burden or punishment, but rather a joy and an end in itself.  Working out should also not be such a hassle, it should be a time to enjoy and rediscover your body’s abilities.  Working out can be thought of as a means to achieving a healthy and great looking body.  But it can also be time to “sweat it out” and “stop stressing” activity that re-focuses your mind, body and soul.  It can be a relax session with yoga or pilates, or a rejuvenating high impact, kick butt session with kickboxing or aerobics.  Whatever the activity is, we all need to stop thinking of working-out as “w-o-r-k.”  Working out is an ends in itself. 

Working out needs to be thought of as an enjoyable, relaxing, and stress-free time dedicated to yourself.  It isn’t easy; working-out takes so much effort and dedication.  It isn’t a burden or punishment for eating a cupcake or chocolate yesterday.  Instead, it is a reward for being physically and mentally able to attend work-out sessions.  It is a reward for living!  Therefore, as you get ready or even think about working out, switch your mind to thinking that working out is an enjoyable, un-burdensome activity that you look forward to everyday.

Health and Wellness

Having introduced the issue of gender pay equity in business in last month’s newsletter (I Want My Million Dollars!), I wondered what is already being done in our business community to help close the pay gap. It didn’t take long to find Hawaii Business Magazine showcasing Wahine in Hawaii Business, a program they started last year. According to David Tumilowicz, Publisher of www.hawaiibusiness.com, “…we knew that successful women prefer to be known for their accomplishments, not their gender. At the same time, gender’s influence on career attainment is unmistakable. Of the 753 senior executives of Hawaii Business’ Top 250 companies, only 132 are female – that’s about one in six. Women lead only 16 of those 250 companies. Somewhere between those numbers and the perspective that “gender is irrelevant,” there must be room for a conversation.”
Developing Our Potential - HawaiiBusiness.com - July 2009

It appeared that one such conversation would be held at the upcoming Wahine Forum, “…designed to elevate the status of Hawaii businesswomen by providing practical skills for executives and entrepreneurs via workshops taught by businesswomen at the top of their game.” , according to Tumilowicz. This is the second year that Hawaii Business has partnered with the Junior League to present the Forum.
The Wahine Forum

On July 14^th, I attended the Wahine Forum to see what the conversation was all about. In addition to the YWCA of Oahu, The Women’s Fund of Hawaii, Junior League of Honolulu, Tyrie Lee Jenkins, M.D., Eye Care, The Organization of Women Leaders, Zonta International, Girl Scouts of Hawaii, Bishop & Company, Tahiti Pearl Market, The Small Business Resource Center and the Rotary Club of Ala Moana were event sponsors. Each organization provided information about their offerings and representatives to speak with Forum participants, and many held drawings for products and services.

Participants selected two workshops to attend. I attended Building Your Personal Brand Equity, presented by Judy Bishop, Bishop & Company, and Roxanne Darling, Bare Feet Studios. Judy Bishop provided eight steps to personal branding, including:

1. How to develop a brand description. She advises spending time by yourself, dig deep and write down answers to questions such as “Who are you?” and “What image do you want to portray to others?”. Have a focus group and ask them what image you portray. Think about core values, passions, hobbies and talents. What subjects did you love in school? What are you great at? Write down your brand description and add a tag line.
   
2. Define our dreams and goals. Put them in writing with timelines. Make them specific and focused. Consider the financial aspect, do research into the field and be prepared to price and position yourself. Will you claim to be “the best” and charge the high-end fee? Describe what “living well” means to you. Create your mission statement. Brainstorm about how to make your dreams come true – plan it. Let others know who can help you achieve your goals. Do they know about your attributes?
   
3. Toot your own horn. Who is your target audience, particular industry, or geographic area? What adjective do you want your target audience to think of when they hear your name? Learn about your target audience; read, network and research a lot! Ask for referrals and introductions.
   
4. Identify obstacles when you are stuck. If fear is standing in your way, prepare a disaster recovery plan. What is the worst that can happen and what will you do to recover if it does? Think positively – it shows. Keep your eye on the big picture.
   
5. Recruit a squad of brand cheerleaders including a mentor. Those with a mentor are 10 times more likely to succeed.
   
6. People judge you by who you affiliate yourself with. Volunteer with non-profits. Be mindful of what is posted on-line about you. Everything about you is part of your brand, including your laptop and cell phone cover.
   
7. Communications is the #1 needed quality in business. When you meet people, be there with them in the moment. Listening makes you charismatic. Work on your public speaking, etiquette, be on-time and meet deadlines, have a great credit score.
   
8. Advertise. Use social networking, keep your brand current and ask for feedback. Always have a head shot and bio.
   
9. Judy’s presentation was full of detail and a real plan for developing your personal brand. It left me a little exhausted. She recommended, as further reading, Make a Name for Yourself, by Robin Fisher Roffer.
   
10.  Roxanne Darling gave us five points about on-line reputation management:

• People are talking about you on the Internet. Its better for you to control the dialog than to let someone else do it. What you want is an honest, sincere and authentic representation of you. Start by doing a vanity search (search for yourself).
  
• What’s your tech IQ? Learn to use a smart phone for its mobility (an Internet computer in your pocket). Use RSS efficiency (news feeds to help you filter lots of data for useable information) and learn about on-line etiquette.
  
• On-line networking. Culture matters, be aware of what’s current. Find friends and schedule smartly. It OK to “lurk” for as long as you want in order to feel comfortable. Don’t be afraid to use “crowd sourcing”, put out a question and get feedback. If you are interested in business-oriented networking, get an account at Linkedin.
  
• Your new media voice. What started as text blogging has quickly evolved to podcasting, Internet talk shows, photo blogging, live video streaming and Internet TV. Sophisticated technology in the hands of individuals.
  
• Experiment. Sign up for a free account at viddler.com. Learn to edit videos.
  Watch video of Roxanne speaking at a recent YWCA Lunch Club event.

Participants had lots of questions from their real-life experiences. Is it OK to open a Twitter account and then stop using it? Etiquette dictates that if you are through with Twitter, close the account. Although some employ services to combine all of their social networking messages, it can be annoying to your friends to post a message for you on Twitter and find out that you responded to them on Facebook. What if you are overwhelmed with email requests to “check this out”? It’s OK to ignore them. Try using rules in your mail client to pre-sort incoming messages into folders. Roxanne does this and takes 20 minutes a day to review them. How important is it to separate your “business” and “personal” on-line images? To some extent, employers are “getting over it”. But it’s OK to ask your friends to contact you through Linkedin for business and Facebook for personal.

There was a short discussion about a business on-line representation. Who will represent the brand on behalf of the business? Don’t use only one person. Declare up front that “this account is managed by three people” and use initials at the end of posts to identify the voice.

Generally, the feedback I received from other participants of this workshop is that it was very useful, but needed more time devoted to the technology portion. One participant, from Vontaggio Human Resources Consulting, told me that she would have preferred a more interactive venue. Her reason for attending the Forum was mostly for networking. She would prefer to “connect with other business women, chat over coffee.”

Next I attended Women and Negotiation, Seven Tips for Creating a Win-win, presented by Chenoa Farnsworth, Farnsworth Consulting, Susan Yamada, P.A.C.E, UH-Manoa. Chenoa Farnsworth introduced the art of negotiating by dispelling some misperceptions about women and negotiating. Contrary to popular belief, women are actually good at negotiating. They do it every day with their children and other family members. In business, it is not necessary for women to take on the hard-edged, competitive negotiation style of men. Don’t overcompensate, posturing turns people off. Instead, negotiate from a position of abundance, there is plenty for all, integrity, true values and maturity, be considerate. Both speakers shared these tips as examples:

1. Listen. Take notes, pick up on cues and paraphrase where appropriate.
   
2. Empathize. Understand the other side, establish credibility and trust.
   
3. Information. Be prepared, research, talk to mentors and partners. Know the value of things but avoid being the one to “anchor” the conversation. That is, don’t put a number on the table because it influences the remainder of the negotiations. If the other party suggests a number that is completely unrealistic to you, you can disregard it.
   
4. Alternatives. Consider benefits other than financial. If you are at an impasse, ask if you can revisit the issue in six months.
   
5. Flexibility. Don’t take a hard stand. Think about what is unique about your job and you. Establish a give and take approach and convey cooperation.
   
6. Patience. Use silence and pauses to your advantage. Take time to consider the offer, ask if you can consider and give your answer the next day.
   
7. No deal. Sometimes walking away can be a win-win.

The speakers then presented three role-playing examples of a lose-lose, win-lose, and win-win negotiation session.

Questions from participants followed: What do you do if negotiations are at an end and you don’t feel you have won? Don’t speak out about it. Take time to think about what happened and ask if you can revisit the negotiation in six months. Can an employer counter with what they have already done for the employee? Yes. Be transparent. Point out benefit changes in the employees favor. Should you bring up personal needs or stick to your value as an employee? It depends on the relationship between employee and employer. How personal is it? Try to strike a balance. Emphasize your performance but be human.

The speakers recommended for further reading Jack Chapman’s How to Make $1,000 a Minute. (Probably out of print but may be available online).

I asked Doreen Nozoe, Sheraton Waikiki Catering Department employee, who attended the workshops, what she had expected to get out of her attendance. She answered, “Be empowered with new information, new ideas. Professional development.” She indicated that she had, indeed, achieved that goal.

The Sheraton Waikiki staff provided a scrumptious lunch while we listened to an engaging keynote speaker. Peggie Pelosi, author of Corporate Karma: How Businesses Can Move Forward by Giving Back, made the business case for philanthropy. She said that in order for philanthropy to help a business succeed, it needs to be more than just writing a check to an arbitrarily selected charity. To succeed, the philanthropy needs:

1. Authentic leadership. In the example she provided, she convinced the CEO of her corporation to actually visit the charity they proposed to support. His engagement made the difference.
   
2. Sustainable partnerships. For instance, the Women’s Business Club of Toronto, which provides a meeting place for business women, created a program to bring women into the center who would otherwise not have the opportunity. The size and scope of the business should fit the non-profit and the work should be relevant to the mission of the non-profit. From the non-profit’s perspective, it allows them to say “we can provide you with value because we do work related to your business in your community”.
   
3. Inspire stakeholder engagement.
   
4. Brand it.
   
5. That which you measure, you will succeed at. Not just financial measure, social measures as well.

Make sure to focus on one cause category that is aligned with business objectives. The outcomes of the philanthropy should align your business with the social needs met. Embed the philanthropy in the corporate culture so that first internal, then external stakeholders are cheerleaders for the cause. Make it part of your brand. Peggie said that corporate social responsibility is connected with employee respect. She reminded us that our Millennial work force believes that business has to stand for something more than their profits.

David Tumilowicz closed the event with a thank you message for participants and said, “We are on the cusp of creating a new economy for Hawaii…” “…its going to be inclusive.” “Fortune 500 companies that actively promote women in business far out perform other Fortune 500 companies.” 

At the YWCA of Oahu, one thing we believe is that women can help other women succeed in reaching their goals. That’s why we sponsor the Wahine in Hawaii Business Network at Laniakea.  Known as “WHB”, this network has been meeting at Laniakea for the past year and has exciting events planned for the remainder of the year.

Learn more about this dynamic network

Next WHB at Laniakea Event


Check out Hawaii Business Magazine 
Our member community represented

Our new board member and past LeaderLuncheon honoree, Marivic Dar, is on the cover of the July issue of Hawaii Business Magazine and is featured in the cover story. Linh Lopez, a Wahine in Hawaii Business at Laniakea network member is mentioned in connection with our network.  Louise Ing, yet another member of our network, past LeaderLuncheon honoree and big supporter of the YWCA was also profiled in the cover story.  A side bar titled "Get on Board" features LeaderLuncheon honorees Linda Coble, Dr. Tyrie Lee Jenkins, Gwen Pacarro and Marivic Dar. It also mentioned longtime YWCA supporter and Wahine in Hawaii Business at Laniakea network member Judy Bishop.  Side bar also features our board member and PR counselor, Piia Aarma.

Move Over Old Boys: Building a New Girls Network article

Christine Camp, a former LeaderLuncheon honoree, is in full color on page 17.  
Read article  

Judge Marie Milks, our board member, is on page 40 with her tips on negotiation. 
Read article

Another board member, Kalei Cadinha-Puaa, and past speaker of Wahine in Hawaii Business (2008) is quoted in the same article. 
Read article

Judy Bishop, is also featured prominently as a sponsor, and is quoted in "Island-Style Dress for Success". 
Read article

Melissa Teves Pavlicek, one of the LeaderLuncheon vice chairs, offers lobbying lessons. 
Read article

Hawaii Business Magazine

Small Gestures Make Big Impact
When our community pitches in, no effort is too small
by Dave Washburn, Member

Perform at work - check
Care for the family - check
Care for myself - hmmm.... made it to the gym twice last week
Make my community a better place - are you kidding me?!?

So many of us want to make a difference, but face a common fear: What I can contribute just isn't enough. Often, that fear keeps us from taking that leap of faith and becoming an agent for social change. Believe it or not, there are opportunities to impact your world, on your time. Believe it or not, you can make a profound positive impact. Imagine that there are a thousand people just like you (there are more). Now imagine those same people, doing what they can, together. Through YWCA of O'ahu, you have the unique opportunity to make a difference. The following stories are offered as proof:

When Tina Rogers came to YWCA, she was overcoming years of substance abuse and was exiting prison. This was a moment of terrifying challenge - she needed to find permanent, affordable housing in Honolulu. It was also a moment of tremendous opportunity - with housing, she could be reunited with her beautiful, 3 year-old daughter, Kalia.  Tina found that opportunity at Makiki's Fernhurst YWCA, a unique approach to women's community-style living that attracts travelers, students, and women working to re-establish themselves in the world. Despite a wealth of diversity in their backgrounds, women at Fernhurst share a common desire to be supportive and uplifting to their house-mates. A special YWCA program helped Tina to afford rent.  September 2009 marks the one-year anniversary of Tina's move to Fernhurst. Supported by her community, she succeeded to gain permanent custody of Kalia, who's a popular resident in her own right. Tina's challenges are not over - as a single mom, success at work and finding childcare will be daunting tests - but her community will be there for her.

See Tina speak
How you can help

• Become a member of YWCA of O'ahu. Your membership is a statement of support for women's empowerment. It's an opportunity to join networks of women who support each other through all stages of life. To join, or for more information click here.
  
• Donate your vehicle to benefit Ways to Work. For more information, click here.
  
• Volunteer for Dress for Success. Help a job seeking woman choose an outfit, donate clothing, or help with program operations. For more information, click here.
  
• Designate YWCA of O'ahu through your office's Aloha United Way or Combined Federal campaigns. Your donation is crucial to sustaining your YWCA. Please designate YWCA of O'ahu (#96600) on your AUW/CFC donation form.

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