Dear Members,
Thank you all for this opportunity to be uniquely positioned to be a catalyst for change for the Florida Federation of Business and Professional Women's Club, Inc. As we "dare to change" in the year ahead, please continue to allow our mission to achieve equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, education, and information to be in the forefront with all that we do for the benefit of working women in Florida. As the leading advocate for working women, let's move forward with the platform for the year, Weaving the Strands: Advocacy, Education and Information. The public policy issues of focus are economic equity, health care, and domestic violence. We will continue to seek the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in Florida until that is successfully achieved. Our partners for the year are the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, U.S.Women's Chamber of Commerce, and the Domestic Abuse Shelter, Inc. serving the Florida Keys.
There is much in store for BPW Florida in the upcoming year. Much time and preparation has been given by all involved for planning of various programs and activities to support the platform, Weaving the Strands. Now is the time to follow through onplans made to elevate the standards for women in business and professions, to promote the interests of business and professional women and bring about a spirit of cooperation among business and professional women.
As I bring this message to closure, your president is gearing up for her participation in BPW/USA's National Employers Summit being held in Washington, DC, the first inaugural Camp BPW of Florida being hosted for thirty Floridian young women ages 12-16 on the Island of Pigeon Key in Marathon, Florida, BPW/USA National Conference being hosted in Atlanta, Georgia and great plans are underway for Fall Conference 2008. Remember meet "Venita in Venice" October 10-12, 2008 for Fall Conference. Also, collaboration meetings will be held in October with the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce in Melbourne and Orlando. These work group sessions will be designed to help women towards "real economic progress."
Best wishes to all members as you move forward with your programs and community service projects to support the work of BPW Florida. Continue to weave the colors of each strand, green for economic equity, pink for health care, and lavender or purple for domestic violence risk reduction efforts. As each strand is weaved, we will begin to engage in advocacy, education and provide information on the connectedness of how each stand can intertwine regardless of what walk of life any of us have experienced. Let the weaving begin.
Venita Garvin Valdez
BPW/FL President, 2008-2009 |
