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Hey Jacke
When the world shifts, changes, and pivots, are you a tree that bends or breaks?
I have learned a lot about myself over the last few years since I was "on top of the world" building one of the most robust 2020 road maps I had ever done. I had locked in new cities, venues, and initiatives, had exciting contracts signed, and felt the most amazing feeling of success when I was named
Entrepreneur Magazine's Top 100 Powerful Women and
Create Cultivate's Top 100! Both awards featured me alongside celebrities and notables. It was quite surreal.
There I was, little ol me, feeling like I had finally come into my own.
Then the world cracked, fractured into a million little pieces and I was never the same. No one was ever the same.
The journey I have been through to stay alive, in the industry, and relevant is real. I didn't think I would make it to our Ten Year Anniversary, but a wonderful new friend of mine, (you can catch her on the new Celebrity Squares TV Show as resident DJ,) gave me the pep talk of my life when I confessed to her earlier this year that I was giving up.
When Niena was finished holding up a mirror and pouring life into me with words, she said: "You better dance at your ten year anniversary party. You better not give up before the season finale. You have built something from scratch and somehow sustained against all the B.S. that has come for you directly. Keep Going!"
Those words stuck with me. I carried them with me as I navigated the grief of losing almost my entire team when it all fell apart. I referenced them when I dealt with health scares and biopsies, and other uncertainties. I pulled them out when I worked around the clock putting together this year's conference against all odds. I played them back when I rebuilt EVERYTHING for the tenth time in a year, building our first Community Advisory Board, installing a new team, and rebranding and repurposing our mission and impact.
I thought about them every time I felt dismissed, disappointed, undervalued, discriminated against, ghosted, gaslit, and stolen from.
That has been my journey and experience building WWT. (Video letter to come!) For a decade I have sustained and continued to build and build and build. I am a tree that bends and stands tall again.
What is unfolding is my Heart Song. This is the ethos of who I am--a humanitarian, an empath, an activist, an optimist, just trying to do my small part to create the greatest impact for myself and for others.
The world needs us more than ever. Black women specifically, and black and brown organizations and initiatives are being quite literally being targeted and wiped out. I personally know humans who have given up. I am doubling down with all I have to bring my vision for 2024 to life.
I am a black woman. I am a Latina woman. I am an Indigenous woman. I am an LGBTQ+ woman. I am a disabled woman. I am a hard-of-hearing woman. I am a worthy woman.
If ever there was a time to show up and support, that time is NOW.
Help me build the biggest year of Wonder Women Tech's life as we celebrate our #DecadeofImpact. I am pulling out all the stops to get to my Ten Year Anniversary Party.
I hope to dance with you there!
Discover all the ways you can be part of our Magic below. <3
With gratitude,
Lisa Mae Brunson
Founder, Wonder Women Tech
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The 2024 Wonder Women Tech Call for Speakers and Sponsors is OPEN!!! We are excited to launch our first ever WWT Europe Tour where we will be in Paris, Morocco, Rome, Ibiza, and London in May and June 2024!
We're also hosting a series of panel and networking mixers, partnership activation and events, and more!
Join us Fall 2024 for our first ever WONDER: A Culture and Innovation Festival which merges our signature Wonder Women Tech National Conference that you love with an expanded vision to include a culture festival, films, music, art, collaborative and immersive experiences, and more!
We promise you will be filled with WONDER when you step into our wonderland of tech and culture! We'll share more information in a newsletter that will be dedicated just to that! |
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DO YOU KNOW HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO YOU WANT TO INSPIRE TO GET INTO STEM?
We're hosting a FREE panel discussion and Q&A virtual event Saturday, Oct 28th at 1 pm PT.
ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND! Students, Parents, Teachers, Educators, Student Clubs, YOU!
Register to attend: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/innovations-in-education-career-pathways-panel-for-students-tickets-734987476327?aff=oddtdtcreator
The goal of the Innovations in Education panel is to provide opportunities for students to learn from leaders and professionals in STEM and EdTech about educational technology tools or platforms available for high school students to advance skills and learning, explore the future of education, and to incorporate the role of technology in furthering diversity in learning. The event also provides opportunities for mentorship, empowerment and inspiration for students, with an interactive Q&A session after the panel discussion.
Moderator: Jocelyn Howard, Vice President at Urban Village Family Service
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelyn-o-howard-264903105/
Panelist: Heather Wetzler, Co-Founder and CEO, Cue Career
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherwetzler/
Panelist: Boitshoko Phalatse, MSc, MBA, Senior Project Manager, Office of the Chancellor PMO, Northwestern University
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boitshoko-phalatse/
Panelist: Kimberly Lane Clark, Ed.S, Senior Edu Program Manager, Google For Education
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlylanetechno/
Panelist: Jake Webb, AI and Data Privacy Leader (Former Middle School Math Teacher turned Tech Entrepreneur)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakewebb/
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Want to attend 2024 Events anywhere in the world? We have you covered!
Introducing the Wonder Women Tech Passport! We're launching a unique opportunity for you to join us anywhere in the world where a WWT event or initiative will be taking place! This even includes our Galactic Wonderland Gala!
You've asked for it--so we are bringing it! We're excited to launch our first ever WWT European Tour! We'll be in Rabat, Morocco; Rome, Italy; Paris France; London and capping off the tour with a Leadership Retreat in Spain in May and June 2024!
For ONE LOW PRICE you can attend any WWT event! Only 50 passes will be issued. When it's gone, it's gone!
CLAIM YOUR PASSPORT HERE: https://lnkd.in/gcNiKRsn |
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Have you decided which one are you? Are you a tree that bends or breaks? Feel free to respond and share your stories with me. I really want to listen and understand more about my ecosystem. <3
I have been thinking a lot about Gratitude. I am held up by all the branches of my ecosystem. The people who have nurtured me, watered me, seeded me, planted me, harvested me, and helped pull out the weeds--I am so grateful to you.
You are my reason for continuing to till the soil.
Thank you for all the humans who reached out this month as I grieve a very important loss of my dearest friend, the woman who helped make WWT possible.
I haven't had the capacity to respond personally yet, but know you have touched me.
I am immensely grateful for everyone who has ever supported WWT and this journey. Please continue to support our work.
I love you all.
I look forward to our adventures ahead!
With deepest gratitude,
Lisa Mae Brunson |
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About Wonder Women Tech
Wonder Women Tech (WWT) is a nonprofit organization and ecosystem that produces year-round programming and national and international conferences that highlight, educate, and celebrate women and the underrepresented in STEAM industries (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math), innovation and entrepreneurialism.
Our conferences and programming offer a variety of speakers, panel discussions, coding classes, workshops, hackathons, diversity career fair, STEAM camps, community inclusion activities, thought leadership, and other dynamic programming geared towards empowering women, girls, people of color, LGBTQ, the underrepresented, and diverse communities. We seek to create a shift in diversity and inclusion within STEAM industries by offering revolutionary content and impactful discussions.
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