Women and men are taking a momentous step forward for gender equality on May 1-3 in Baltimore at “It’s Time 2015: The Partnership Summit to Elevate Women's Leadership,” to build a level of coordinated action not seen since the peak of the civil rights movement.
Produced by It’s Time Network, this inaugural summit is designed to increase awareness of organizations that, over the course of decades of hard work and grass-roots efforts, have made the significant progress for women and gender equality that we see in our world today.
It's Time Network will launch with a powerful National Advisory Council of thirteen women with a proven track record of success in both empowering women and creating lasting progress on persistent social, environmental and political issues. The core group includes legendary civil rights leader, Dolores Huerta; Co-founder of both MoveOn.org and MomsRising.org, Joan Blades; Co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter, Alicia Garza; race car driver and influential environmental leader, Leilani Munter; Executive Director of Jobs with Justice, Sarita Gupta; Co-founder of United We Dream, Cristina Jimenez; Co-founder of Omega Women’s Leadership Center, Carla Goldstein; the NAACP's point-person on environmental issues, Jacqueline Patterson; Native American elder and Co-founder of Tewa Women United, Kathy Sanchez; Let Girls Lead Founder, Dr. Denise Raquel Dunning.
Lifetime women’s advocate and Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, along with actress and activist Rosario Dawson and award-winning broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien will all speak about the imperative to elevate women’s leadership. Says former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, "Times of upheaval require not just more leadership but more leaders. People at all organizational levels, whether anointed or self-appointed, must be empowered to share leadership responsibilities."
Altogether, the 56 speakers from across all sectors and from across party lines, will be in Baltimore to inspire women to lead. "We are at a pivotal point in women's lives and in our society,” says Dolores Huerta. “If we don't take action, things will get worse. The summit is a call to action.” Program sessions will address a range of critical issues, including the need to build a fair and sustainable economy, why it makes both business and social sense to invest in girls, the components of fair pay, environmental issues, women working for peace and security, partnership between women and men and the imperative to increase the number of women leaders globally.
Significantly, the summit is not a “women's only” event, but a broad coalition of people who recognize that women must have a seat at decision-making tables in greater numbers to achieve a future that works for everyone. Interactive technology at the summit will engage the participants in active dialogue and real time polling to reflect a diversity of perspectives.
Representing a powerful group of aligned organizations with far-reaching influence, the summit’s Convening Partners include The Carter Center, Women Donors Network, Global Fund for Women, Women Moving Millions, Women’s Funding Network, Let Girls Lead and Girls Inc.. Together they model the spirit of collaboration and collective impact required to accelerate the full empowerment of women and girls.
The Baltimore summit is the first step for It's Time Network, a national initiative with Partner Cities across the country, to engage women’s collective voting power, purchasing power and wisdom to build a thriving future for all people. “It’s time, and we can’t wait another year. We are echoing and amplifying the call for a global campaign to achieve the full empowerment of women and girls – now,” says Betsy Hall McKinney, CEO and Founder of It’s Time Network.
The organizers have made the summit accessible to all, including a community price of $99 dollars for the three-day event or $39 dollars per day. Student pricing and scholarships are also available. Register for It’s Time 2015: The Partnership Summit to Elevate Women's Leadership at: www.ItsTime2015.com.
It’s Time Network is a growing community of people, organizations and visionary leaders working to advance the full empowerment of women and girls to achieve gender equity, evolve democracy, build fair economies and regenerate the earth. Learn more about It's Time Network, register for It's Time 2015, or sign up to join the network in your city at www.ItsTime2015.com.
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