In today’s society, more and more women are stepping into the light as leaders across industries, bringing confidence and hope to the next generation. While the past several decades have certainly helped shine a light on inequity, there is much more work to be done. Unfortunately, there are many women who do not have direct access to a network where they can interact with women in leadership roles, something that can be extremely empowering and inspirational. This is exactly why my mother founded the Women’s Empowerment Institute, and why I volunteer there.
WEI is the first non-profit in Westchester County created to teach women and young girls empowerment through personal development and job skills training. Their objective is to create a safe space for women to come together and build a sisterhood where no one is judged or criticized because of their background. In this environment, everybody has the chance to reach their highest potential. The Women’s Empowerment Group currently meets one day per month, where speakers run workshops on topics such as public speaking and learning how to “brag” during job interviews. In addition, there is also a Girls Empowerment Group, which is designed to build younger girls’ confidence and make them strong leaders in every aspect. Next year, WEI will also be offering workforce training to increase employability, supportive counseling, job placement services, college access services and much more.
Recently, the WEI hosted its first Gala, which supported their Young Girls Empowerment Group. All proceeds went towards providing financial aid to any young girl who may wish to join the program and cannot afford to pay. To show their support of WEI and its mission, Silverline bought tickets and raffled them off to employees who wanted to attend, demonstrating the commitment they have not only to their employees but also to making a positive change in the world. It was absolutely inspiring to see some of my colleagues in the crowd.
Our institute worked hard for a long time to put this all together, and to see it come alive and everybody having such a good time was beyond what words could describe. During the speeches, many in the crowd were tearing up, but the most touching moment came when the girls who took part in the program came up to the podium for a surprise speech. They spoke about how the program has affected them and how grateful they were to be all working together in a sisterhood. It was that moment which reminded me why I’m doing this, and how important and gratifying our mission is. That’s why I’m so grateful that Silverline has embraced the same ideal.
Silverline is committed to the support of women in technology. That’s why Silverline is a supporter of the WITness Success conference. (You can read about Sales Operations Manager Lizz Hellinga’s experience speaking at the conference here.) Additionally, Silverline launched Silverline Allies this year. With over forty employees working together to make Silverline a more diverse and inclusive workplace, Silverline Allies is dedicated to encouraging and amplifying underrepresented groups. This objective is aligned with that of the WEI and other women’s groups, who promote an intersectional perspective on social justice.
At Silverline, we know that a commitment to diversity is not merely about feel-good words. It is about improving our culture by promoting the values we all share while supporting diverse ideas and perspectives. At the core of Silverline is the belief that we do better together, a belief which has held the company together through its rapid growth and will continue to be a strong priority in the future.
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