I’ve had a full day to digest all the information and events surrounding my attendance of the 2008 California Women’s Conference, and I’m still in awe.
14,000 women attended the event–which sold out in 3 hours!– championed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver.
Thanks to CVS Pharmacy, I was able to attend this inspiring event and witness first hand accounts of struggle and triumph, success and failure, and hear advice from some of the most powerful and influential women in the California, nay, the world!
I strongly recommend visiting www.californiawomen.org and watching the Webcast replay…but here are my conference highlights:
*My hometown hero Warren Buffett discussed the current financial state of our country with the governator.
*It’s official!!! Women can do it better!!!!! This according to Governor S himself, who credits his wife for being an excellent multi-tasker and is amazed by all she does (Oh, Arnold, I could have told you that!)
*Jennifer Lopez reminded us that nothing worthwhile was easy, a theme Maria Shriver touched on in more depth in the afternoon session by saying there is no courage without fear. I demonstrated this beautifully by getting a free flu shot at the CVS Pharmacy booth in the Village. I am deathly afraid of needles, and I did throw up in my mouth a little bit, but as the lovely Ms. Shriver reassured me, that fear allowed for courage!
*In the morning conversation, “So You Want To Start Your Own Business? How To Do It and Enjoy It!” Heidi Klum continued with the theme of courage. She faced people telling what she couldn’t do but she didn’t listen. She says you have to overcome your fear of failure and just GO FOR IT!
*Madeleine Albright signed copies of her new book, Memo to the President Elect
*Condoleeza Rice spoke of her gratitude to her parents, and told us that we don’t need to find a role model who is just like us. If that were the case there would never be any firsts. We don’t need to wait for someone to fill a role to show us it’s okay, we just need to do it ourselves! She was originally going to be a pianist and stumbled into international relations when she enrolled in a class that dealt with Russia–a place she had never been and knew nothing about–but this awakened a passion within her.
*Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi was candidly open and honest regarding the difficulty she faces balancing motherhood, family and career. Her anecdotes were enlightening, humorous and touching…she was hired to her first job wearing a Sari because she was given the advice: if they don’t hire you in the Sari–they don’t want you and what you stand for! Powerful!!! A second theme of the conference was being yourself.
*Maria Shriver left not a dry eye in the house as she told of her struggle to overcome her fear and her relationship with her mother. She spoke of her decision to back Obama–despite all the reasons she had to be fearful–her husband, a republican backing McCain for one!
*Jenny McCarthy, Mary Tillman and David Sheff spoke of their expereincs with trying, and seemingly impossible circumstances and shared with us how they pulled through. I had the pleasure of meeting Jenny McCarthy, who is such a brave and amazing woman–taking on the medical community!–and she signed a book for me.
*Gloria Steinam was honored with a Minerva Award, as was Billy Jean King who, thanks to Maria Shriver had to reapply her makeup 4 times because she cried so much throughout the day! She told the powerful story of facing off against a male chauvinist tennis champ on the most watched tennis match of all time–and winning!! But mostly she spoke of authenticity…of being yourself and being true to yourself at all costs.
*Bono entertained the crowd with his humor and congratulated women. He shared his causes of AIDS and hunger in Africa and asked us all to stand with him in the fight against these terrible circumstances that plague the people of Africa–where children die for lack of a 20 CENT VACCINATION EVERY DAY.
*Bonnie Raitt performed to an enthusiastic, if not tired (by this time it was at least 7pm!) crowd.
* I got bags upon bags of awesome swag and picked up a few great books….
I left this AMAZING day knowing that I myself would be an architect of change. I made resolutions to overcome my fears and dream bigger. I will make a difference like the amazing women who are shaping our world today.
**STAY TUNED FOR PICTURES FROM THIS AMAZING EVENT!!!!!!!
