Volume 1, Issue 7
Welcome to IWL’s monthly e-newsletter, designed to inform and inspire you about the progress of our global leadership community and commitments.
1) Alumni Profile
Kavita Ramdas of Global Fund for Women
Alumni – WLC 10/99
2) Coach’s Column
Context questions to approach learning by Jennifer Hibbits
3) Resources
A) Women’s Enews
Visit the award-winning Women’s Enews (or join their weekly newsletter) to read the latest news, Outrage of the Week, or use WEsources, their database of experts on issues of concern to women. Their tagline is “what news looks like when women matter.”
4) A Note from Rayona
By the time you receive this it will be a month after the devastating terrorist attack on Sept. 11th that took away America’s innocence. As you read on the e-list there was an outpouring of support and inspiration from our global IWL community. That support continues every day as we continue to heal from our wounding and seek to end terrorism on a global scale. It is the best of times and the worst of times. Our way of life as a nation and a global community is changed forever and yet in the midst of this horrific event people are coming together on behalf of security and human dignity that I have never before witnessed. We say it will be our finest hour!
My recent trip to Australia provided a very unique and timely opportunity to speak to a group of 75 business and community leaders about the importance of advancing women leaders in all sectors of our society. We discussed the proposition that we will become a more peaceful and civil society as we integrate the contribution of both women and men equally in positions of power and authority. We owe it to ourselves and future generations to at least test this hypothesis.
I also met again with a key group of women leaders in Australia’s national capitol, Canberra, to discuss the accomplishments of their initiative to get 5 women elected into cabinet level offices within the next 5 years. (Australia has had 1 in the last 100 years!) They agreed to take the next level of focused action to influence and lead change among the top movers and shakers in Australia’s government. The 5 in 5 group is supported by additional 19 newly designated WLC alumni. I will be returning in November to Adelaide to conduct our final course for 2001 and meet up with the alumni community to celebrate their breakthrough project results. Please know that if you are traveling between the countries of Australia, Canada and the U.S., you have a built in community of support and we are most happy to put you in touch with each other.
On a personal note, Jennifer is engaged to be married to a wonderful guy and I am celebrating my 50th birthday in a week. As I approach my 50th birthday (the halfway point in my life) I wanted you to know that thanks to YOU I have a life that I never dreamed would be possible…to be loved and in partnership for the sake of a better world. I am filled with overwhelming gratitude. Thank you for being my friends and partners for life.
Love,
Rayona
