Monday, 5/19/97 Women’s conference meets at Ackerman CONFERENCE:
Event by Bruin Belles confronts roles, issues of women
By Frances Lee Daily Bruin Staff "Slow down," advised Linda
LoRe, chief executive officer of Giorgio Beverly Hills, to
attendees of UCLA’s first annual Women’s Leadership Conference on
Sunday. "Make success your journey – not just your destination."
With support from the undergraduate internal vice president’s
office and the Womynist Collective, the conference, titled
"Empowering Women into the 21st Century" drew an estimated 300
participants to Ackerman Grand Ballroom for the day-long event.
Contrary to LoRe’s advice, however, many of the women who were
gathered at the conference already seemed to be on the fast track.
Keynote speakers included LoRe, Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Sharon
Morris and Dean of Public Policy Barbara Nelson. Patricia Eastman,
executive director of the students’ association (ASUCLA), also
spoke on her role as the first woman director of the organization.
In honor of the event, Deputy Mayor Sharon Morris presented the
Bruin Belles with a resolution from the city of Los Angeles,
dedicating May 18 as "Day of Women’s Leadership" in Los Angeles.
According to Petty Tsay, a fourth-year history student and director
of the event, the idea of having a women’s leadership conference
grew from her concern over the apparent lack of visible female role
models in today’s society. "I always felt that women were leaders
on a daily basis … as leaders in a variety of aspects throughout
their lives," Tsay said. After being elected to the Bruin Belles’
newly-formed Office of Women’s Leadership last summer, the idea of
holding the conference was born. But without an advisor to help
them, students in the Bruin Belles Service Association had to plan
the event on their own. "Since it was the very first (conference),
we had nothing to build upon," said Dani de Jesus, the executive
committee chair for the conference. "We did everything from
scratch." Professors, doctors, businesswomen, community leaders and
even a poet were invited to hold workshops on various issues. With
topics ranging from "The Art of Networking" to "The Power of
Poetry," participants seemed enthusiastic about the diversity of
workshops offered. "I wanted to take them all," said Suzanne
Steiner, a first-year undeclared student, noting that the small
size of some of her workshops added to a personalized feeling. "The
title (of the conference) says everything," said Kristin Nielsen, a
third-year psychology student. After attending some of the
workshops, Nielsen noted that "the theme here, I think, is doing
whatever makes you happy." Although the conference was geared
mainly toward women and women’s issues, Robyn Sharp, a third-year
theater arts student, felt it was a positive experience for him as
well. "It’s interesting, from a male perspective," Sharp said.
"It’s something men need to learn about how women perceive things,
but also something that men can use (in their lives)." Conference
participants praised the organization and the variety of workshops
offered. Taking note of the large turnout of students, Clara Chung,
an assistant co-chair of the conference said, "I think (the
conference) is a tremendous resource for the students. "One purpose
was to bring a lot of women in different fields and (show) how they
achieved success, and what it means to be a woman in the 21st
century," she added. PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin Mitsuye Yamada
lectures to students at the Kerckhoff Art Gallery about "The Power
of Poetry," one of the many workshops and speakers at the first
annual Women’s Leadership Conference.