stated CNN’s award winning journalist Lisa Ling speaking of our awareness to the atrocities around the world that threaten freedom. Ling brought a global perspective to the 2016 Central California Women’s Conference in Fresno, delivering the keynote address to a sold-out crowd of 3,400 women (and a few men).
Ling shared her cross-cultural, and sometimes dangerous, experiences from her journalism career over the years. Her rare glimpse into life in North Korea, her perspective on Afghanistan, the people she has encountered, and her spotlight on human trafficking in the United States, all inspired and challenged us all to go outside our comfort zone and take on a global perspective.
The global perspective was also shared in our executive director’s session “How to Put Your Passion into Action.” Davena shared her journey to more than 300 women in the packed morning session. She shared how women can be motivated by their passion to empathize, empower and advocate for other women and explained how she does this in her work through AMOR.
AMOR’s booth, focused on the HerTime Matters Initiative, a project that will provide sanitary products for girls overseas in Afghanistan. Girls in developing countries miss up to a quarter of their education because they do not have access to sanitary products. Our “handout” at the booth was very unusual. We distributed sanitary pads to emphasize how something so simple can impact generations of girls and ultimately lead to a healthier life and an education.
It was an inspiring day, to see over 3,000 women from the Central Valley, come together to uplift one another. The Central California Women’s Conference brings women from all backgrounds, generations, ethnicities, and stages of life, for a day of empowerment. We are thankful for the opportunity to be included at the Central California Women’s Conference this year. We are constantly inspired by all the women we meet at the conference. Thank you to our volunteers, attendees, the organizers at CCWC and Lisa Ling. We can’t wait for the inspiration and people we will meet next year in 2017.
“To learn more about Lisa Ling’s work check out her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Ling/