WILLEMSTAD – Mothers as leaders and role models in the life of their children; that was the remarkable coincidental red line through all the speeches and presentations during the virtual 17th Annual Female Leadership Conference last weekend.
Keynote speakers educator Barbara Thomson from Curaçao, businesswoman Lynda Williams from Curaçao, Live Past Crazy specialist Jojo J’Anmetra Waddell from The United States of America and bestselling author and coach Sierra Melcher from Colombia, all gave inspiring talks, sharing the stories of their lives with participants.
The in between presenters were dr. Justine Heyden from Curaçao, Hanifa Cooke from Singapore, dr. Jan Flynn from the United States of America and Reyna Joe from Curaçao.
Reyna Joe who is the initiator and organizer of the Annual Female Leadership Conferences in Curaçao said that going for the first time virtual with the conference is an interesting experience and gave an opportunity for people who could not travel or would not have done so to be part of this awesome experience.
Participants were from Australia, Brazil, The Netherlands, Curaçao, Cuba, St. Maarten, Singapore, Costa Rica, Colombia, Nairobi, New York, Washington, Miami, North Carolina, Ohio and Atlanta.
The Margaret Star
During the conference the 1st ‘Margaret Star’ was presented to 24 year old Leonsy ‘Eisy’ Curie, from Curaçao, a determined young woman.
Leonsy will get this year her BA in Social Work, and her specialty is working with people with disabilities, particularly those on the autism spectrum. This is just one part of this amazing young woman’s accomplishments.
From a young age she has been involved in voluntary activities, just to name a few: as a leader at the scouting group AJMG, she organized as a trainee the first sightseeing tour for visually impaired people and has organized 2 empowering meetings and activities for pre teens and teenagers in the neighborhood of Montaña in Curaçao.
Conference advisor Sister Dr. Norma Angel MM was the one introducing the first ‘Margaret Star’ winner. She said that she can’t think of a more deserving person to receive this award. She met Leonsy for the first time as a teenage participant and even back then her self confidence and ‘presence’ was evident.
The ‘Margaret Star’ is in honor of the late conference participant and loyal supporter from start since 2004, Margaret Justina-Janse (1969-2019) who actively shared the vision to have empowering activities for girls and women.
Her support, encouragement, vision and dedication to the success of the conferences are highly appreciated.
Reyna Joe said that we celebrate the energy she left behind by remembering her with the annual ‘Margaret Star’ and trusting that the young person recognized will be a stimulus for other ambitious young people.
More elaborate information about the awesome empowering 17th Annual Female Leadership Conference will be posted on the facebook page ‘About Female Leadership’.
The 18th Conference will be on May 29 and 30, 2021.
