by Kelley Vollmer (New York City)
Since moving to Manhattan, self defense had been something I’d always meant to learn, but I kept finding excuses as to why I couldn’t take a class: it didn’t fit into my schedule; I didn’t know which course to take; or it was just too expensive. I told myself that since I lived in a safe neighborhood and made smart choices, I was fine. But, routinely, I’d find myself in situations – from men walking by me with catcalls to walking by myself late at night after work – in which I would feel vulnerable and fearful. It was at those times that I would remind myself that I needed to take a self defense class.
One night last summer upped the ante for me. I responded to an ad on Craigslist for free concert tickets. Of course, I now recognize how supremely naive I was but, at the time, my only thought was that the tickets were third row center for one of my favorite bands. The guy even claimed to not be looking for a date, saying he was too old. Even though he gave me “uh-oh” feeling the moment I met him and kept his fists clenched throughout the evening (in addition to having a curious bulge near his ankle and asking inappropriate questions about my sexuality), I stuck out the concert because I didn’t want to be rude. At the end, I thanked him for his generosity and left or, rather, attempted to leave.
When I said I was heading to Brooklyn, he said he had a car and could drive me as he was going that way. When I said, “No, thanks I’ll take the subway,” he responded with, “I’ll go with you.” I was feeling very uncomfortable so I sprinted into the chaos that is Times Square after all the Broadway shows let out.
Without looking back, I ran into the subway and down to the train platform right as an express train was pulling up. I jumped onto the train and sat down in the only available seat in a packed car. As I was about to sigh with relief, I felt a presence. I discreetly looked up and saw the old man from the concert – he had followed me onto the train and was now hiding behind someone so I would not see him.
Read more
The Everywoman Conference: Scotland
NewsThe everywoman Conference Scotland
Now in its second year, The everywoman Conference Scotland is the premier event for female business owners looking for ideas and inspiration to grow a business.
Click here for more information and to register
Top Women to Follow on Twitter
Extraordinary LivesDo you tweet? Twitter is a micro-blogging tool that allows you to ‘tweet’ anything – as long as it fits within 140 characters, which is the length of a standard text message. That is what has made it so popular, as you can send and receive messages by phone, or if you prefer via instant messaging or a website. People use it to update their friends with how they are and what they are doing. On the receiving end, you can choose people to receive updates from – your family, celebrities or interesting commentators.
Curious? Once you have a Twitter account you can both update your own status and receive updates from other people whom you have chosen to ‘follow’. Yes, Twitter comes with a whole new language. Since logging on for the first time recently I have learnt about following, tweeting and retweeting, hashtags, @ responses, direct messages. There isn’t space here to explain how to use Twitter to its full advantage, but there are plenty of websites dedicated to just that.
There is a lot of noise on Twitter. People send updates about their last cup of coffee, and British comedian and presenter Stephen Fry made headlines recently when he tweeted about being stuck in a lift. The information comes to you in real time format, but that doesn’t make it interesting. So how do you know who to follow? The best advice is to choose people who interest you and whom you have come across from another source. Bloggers, for example, may blog once or twice a week (like me) but tweet on a daily basis. Using Twitter you will get instant notification of new blog posts but also useful, short titbits more regularly: things that aren’t shared on the blog. I have wasted many an evening reading the profiles of the people being followed by someone I am following. If you follow my meaning.
Read more
Women’s Executive Leadership Retreat
NewsAll successful leaders come to a point in their careers when further advancement is contingent upon further refining a set of crucial analytic and communication skills. TheWomen’s Executive Leadership Retreat will give you the skills needed to recognize and transcend the barriers holding you back so that you can make your career goals a reality. By examining leaders’ challenges through a feminine perspective, you will better appreciate when and why gender matters in organizational advancement. Finally, our program has partnered with the Greater Good Science Center and is uniquely focused on helping women achieve balance between career advancement and personal happiness.
Apply Here
High Water Women Foundation Casino Night
NewsAn extraordinary evening event featuring: Texas Hold ‘Em and Black Jack Tournaments, Roulette, Craps, an art sale, a sit-down dinner, and more.
High Water Women (HWW) has been committed to supporting the most vulnerable women and children in New York since the organization was founded in 2005. This year our beneficiaries need your support more than ever to continue providing their most essential and fundamental programs, such as: education, alleviation of family homelessness, at-risk teens and women’s health, and the overall economic empowerment of women.
To register, click here
The UN Commission on the Status of Women presents “The Equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men”
NewsThe equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS
The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women will consider the theme: “The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS” at its 53rd session .
The work in the Commission will be guided by two reports of the Secretary-General on the theme: one will identify and discuss key issues in sharing of responsibilities between women and men and suggest policy recommendations; and a second will provide an overview of mainstreaming efforts related to sharing of responsibilities at national level.
In the context of its new working methods, the Commission will begin its consideration of the issue of “The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS” through three interactive activities:
The key elements in the consideration of the equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men are: accelerating implementation of previous commitments at national level, including through sharing experiences, lessons learned and good practices; increasing attention to information and data needs; enhancing capacity to mainstream the issue; and identifying further key policy initiatives to move implementation forward.
Visit this website for more information.
Voice of Experience: Kim Harris Jones, Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller Auditor, Chrysler Corporation
Voices of ExperienceThe “Motor City” as it’s affectionately called, is home to Motown, the American automobile industry, and to Kim Harris Jones, the first African-American female Vice President in Chrysler history. “I was born and raised in Detroit and when you’re born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, it’s not hard to be brought into the auto industry. My father retired from General Motors as an assembly line worker, my sister worked at Ford, and I’ve had many other family members who worked in the auto industry, so it wasn’t a big leap,” Jones said.
Read more
In Case You Missed It: News Round-Up
NewsIn case you were too busy to have kept up with all the news, contributor Martin Mitchell has gathered some important market events from last week to help you start this week well informed:
Mergers and Acquisitions
Richard Li’s $2.2bn buyout of the Hong Kong telecoms group PCCW is to be held up for a month. The hold up is as a result of allegations of manipulation of the shareholders’ vote, with the Securities and Futures Commission being given more time to complete an investigation. Read more
Intrepid Women: Sense of Safety in My Own Skin
Intrepid Women SeriesSince moving to Manhattan, self defense had been something I’d always meant to learn, but I kept finding excuses as to why I couldn’t take a class: it didn’t fit into my schedule; I didn’t know which course to take; or it was just too expensive. I told myself that since I lived in a safe neighborhood and made smart choices, I was fine. But, routinely, I’d find myself in situations – from men walking by me with catcalls to walking by myself late at night after work – in which I would feel vulnerable and fearful. It was at those times that I would remind myself that I needed to take a self defense class.
One night last summer upped the ante for me. I responded to an ad on Craigslist for free concert tickets. Of course, I now recognize how supremely naive I was but, at the time, my only thought was that the tickets were third row center for one of my favorite bands. The guy even claimed to not be looking for a date, saying he was too old. Even though he gave me “uh-oh” feeling the moment I met him and kept his fists clenched throughout the evening (in addition to having a curious bulge near his ankle and asking inappropriate questions about my sexuality), I stuck out the concert because I didn’t want to be rude. At the end, I thanked him for his generosity and left or, rather, attempted to leave.
When I said I was heading to Brooklyn, he said he had a car and could drive me as he was going that way. When I said, “No, thanks I’ll take the subway,” he responded with, “I’ll go with you.” I was feeling very uncomfortable so I sprinted into the chaos that is Times Square after all the Broadway shows let out.
Without looking back, I ran into the subway and down to the train platform right as an express train was pulling up. I jumped onto the train and sat down in the only available seat in a packed car. As I was about to sigh with relief, I felt a presence. I discreetly looked up and saw the old man from the concert – he had followed me onto the train and was now hiding behind someone so I would not see him.
Read more
Women On Their Way Awards
NewsThe Midlands Launch into International Women’s Month
In this new world of work, women do jump through hoops every day to get to where they want to be. They break down barriers and overcome challenges to get to the top in some very difficult circumstances. They keep going when it all gets tough. They have energy when others give up.
They don’t always see their achievements and they don’t always recognise their success. The young women coming up behind them need more role models.
This is why we created The WOW Awards; for recognising those women on the move, those who mobilise others and those who create change when it all feels too hard. Those on their way to the top! All together, it’s about celebrating and recognising the energy that women bring into work and their resolve to make a difference.
For more information and to book your place please go to: www.womenontheirway.co.uk
Scottish Resource Centre for Women in SET: A Workshop for Women Researchers in SET
NewsThis is one of a series of three career development events for women with qualifications in science, engineering and technology. They are offered free by the Scottish Resource Centre for Women in SET.
Career Development Planning – A Workshop for Women Researchers in SET
A FREE one-day workshop, organised by the Scottish Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering & Technology (SET), and Vitae to support women research and teaching staff progressing their careers within science, engineering & technology departments.This course has been developed to address issues of particular relevance to women working in a SET academic environment including:
The workshop will be facilitated by Janet Wilkinson, an experienced skills trainer for postgraduates and researchers and other female academics who have managed their careers successfully
To register for this event please go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=c2WViexYfwz_2bEFAWsWK4Kg_3d_3d