For the last decade, Deborah Collins Stephens has watched her vision come to life in the Indiana Conference for Women. When she started the one-day professional conference in 2011 with Billi Dragoo, Stephens said it was always their goal to create a long-lasting program that uplifted women.
“We want to see women in leadership positions all over our state in every field,” Stephens said. “That’s in the realm of possibility.”
Each year, the conference has grown. This year, over 1,200 women will meet in person at the Indiana Convention Center, 100 S. Capital Ave., and hundreds more will tune in virtually Nov. 3, beginning with a breakfast at 7 a.m. This year’s theme is “Passion, Purpose and Persistence,” with actresses Taraji P. Henson, Mae Whitman and Jameela Jamil as keynote speakers for the event.
Stephens hopes women leave the conference optimistic and hopeful about their professional futures, and said the theme is an important message for women today.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 3 million American women have left the workforce, often citing pay inequality and the need to be home with children who are learning remotely. Since March of 2020, the rate of employment for Black women has dropped six percentage points, the largest drop among all demographic groups, according to the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Stephens said when a woman leaves the workforce, they are out for an average of eight years.
“We had a lot of work to do before the pandemic, but we have even more to do now,” Stephens said. “… When women are at the table and in leadership positions, we change things for the better for all involved.”
Guest speakers at this year’s conference include Emily Balcetis, associate professor of psychology at New York University and author of “Clearer, Closer, Better: How Successful People See the World,” and Michelle King, head of the United Nation Women’s Global Innovation Coalition for Change.
Proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test is required for admission to the Indiana Conference for Women. For tickets, visit indianaconferenceforwomen.com.
Contact staff writer Breanna Cooper at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @BreannaNCooper.
