“Equality means more than passing laws. The struggle is really won in the hearts and minds of the community, where it really counts.” Barbara Gittings July 5, 2022 |
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Happy Pride from Women of the World! June marks a month to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community and we recognize the impact that these individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. Pride celebrations date back to a 1970 gathering in New York City to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots. The events of that summer—a series of raids and protests at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar located in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighborhood—forever changed the landscape of LGBTQ+ activism in the United States. WoW celebrates and advocates for inclusion. LGBTQ+ people deserve to be seen and valued for who they are so they can thrive and we hope to create an atmosphere that fosters that growth! |
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Women of the World celebrated World Refugee Day along with many great organizations in our community. Thank you Refugee Services and the city of Salt Lake for putting on a great weekend of activities. We loved meeting new people and clients at our booth—thank you to all who came by! We also loved seeing our past client and her Sudanese cuisine booth at the event! World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honor refugees around the globe. It is on June 20 every year and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives. We have over 100 million displaced people throughout the world today and Women of the World hopes to support all those who are resettled to Salt Lake City. |
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Women's Golf Day Fundraiser Thanks to the hard work and planning of representatives from Mountain America, Glenmoore golf club, and the South Valley Women in Business Chamber, we had an amazing fundraiser celebrating Women's Golf Day and Women of the World! They raised over four thousand dollars to go towards WoW's various programs and we had clients who tried playing golf for the first time. We also had the opportunity to hear from some guest speakers, including the West Valley Mayor, Karen Lang. Also, one of our clients spoke about her own journey in becoming a business owner and the support she has recieved from WoW along the way. We loved meeting so many women in our community and sharing about our cause! If you or your company is interested in planning and hosting a fundraiser for Women of the World, please reach out to our new Development Manager, chelsey@womenofworld.org. |
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AAUW Panel Discussion: Women's Empowerment Samira Harnish, our founder, was invited to the AAUW (the American Association of University Women) State Conference to speak on a panel discussing "Empowering Women and Girls in the Current Political Climate." As history has shown, female empowerment around the world is not easy, especially when women are culturally conditioned not to speak up. The empowerment of women begins with self-confidence and is continued when women can learn the skills that help them provide for themselves and their families. Samira spoke about how WoW addresses these issues and the goals for our clients. Some highlights from her speech include: "An empowered woman is capable of voicing her needs and she is self-reliant. For our women, learning English and building community is their first step to learn to speak up for themselves. However, empowerment and self-reliance will look different for everyone. Through WoW's customized services, we recognize the individual needs and capabilities of each woman. We are all unique, our ladies included, and they deserve specialized, boutique attention. We at Women of the World make sure to support and celebrate each client as an individual." Thank you AAUW for the invitation to discuss a topic that is so central to our mission. |
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Nutrition Workshop Series WoW hosted a four-part nutrition workshop throughout the month of June focusing on the impact food and nutrition has on women's physical and mental health. Hosted by Amani Sehtak, an holistic nutrition coach and a personal trainer, our clients learned healthy nutrition habits as well as advice about gut health and healthy weight loss. We are always looking to encourage community involvement! If you have a skill or idea for a workshop, please get in touch with our case manager, Ghinwa by emailing her: ghinwa@womenofworld.org. |
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Visit from Becky Edwards WoW was excited to host a visit from Becky Edwards, a Utah representative who ran for Senate. During her visit, our clients came and discussed their needs as immigrants and refugees in Utah. We discussed concerns around disabilities, healthcare, education, mental health, and small business loans—issues that unite us all! Having the voices of refugee women represented in government is essential to solving the problems in our community. Events and meetings like this promote WoW's mission to empower women from all nations to have a voice in the community. Women’s equal participation and leadership in political and public life are essential to achieving the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Often, women demonstrate political leadership by working across party lines to champion issues of gender equality, such as the elimination of gender-based violence, parental leave and childcare, pensions, gender-equality laws, and electoral reform. These are all issues that greatly affect our clients at WoW and we aim to support women's representation in Utah's local government in order to foster a community built on equal representation. |
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WoW's Newest EmployeesWe are lucky to welcome three new employees to the WoW staff team this month. If you haven't already, come by to meet them! |
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Development ManagerChelsey Alberico was born and raised in Salt Lake Valley. She attended local Catholic schools and graduated from the University of Utah in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Mass Communication. She has worked in the non-profit world for the last eight
years. She is so excited to work with the ladies of Women of the World. |
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Office Administrator Katie Filipescu- Sanchez has always been passionate about helping her community and helping others find their voice. While getting her Bachelor’s in Music from Weber State University, she studied power structures in societies and how individuals express themselves within these structures through music, dance, and art. She has studied and performed around the world including places such as Spain, Hawaii, Italy, Pennsylvania, and New Zealand. Katie has worked locally as a campaign manager to help build a more equitable community and to make Utah’s election process more fair. Most recently she worked for the City of Salt Lake where she aided inspectors in keeping secure communities. She is excited to be here at Women of the World and to continue building a stronger community! |
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Case Manager Ruby Wahinehookae graduated from Utah State University with her Bachelor’s in Global Communication, minoring in French. She grew up in Spanish Fork, UT in a big, loud, loving family and loves to spend time with them as often as possible. Growing up in a multi-cultural family herself, Hawaiian and American, she has always been drawn to learning about other cultures and peoples. She has visited and lived in several places including, Alaska, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Benin. She found her passion in working with vulnerable populations and expanding her outlook on the world. She is excited to meet and work with the amazing and gifted people associated with Women of the World. |
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Interested in volunteering? Register for our Volunteer Orientation below and email info@womenofworld.org. |
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WoW Volunteer Orientation | Women of the WorldThank you for your interest in support WoW's mission by volunteering! During this orientation, we cover the basics of Women of the World's service, its place in the broader refugee landscape in Salt Lake City, and what volunteering opportunities we have available. |
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Sincerely, Samira Harnish Founder & Executive Director |
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