National Women’s Conference July 18-22

The Loudoun Coalition on Women and Girls welcomes the 51st Annual Meeting and Leadership Conference of the National Association of Commissions for Women. The conference will be held at the National Conference Center in Leesburg from Sunday, July 18, through Thursday, July 22. NACW coordinated with LCWAG to secure the venue and create a quintessentially Loudoun experience. 

While NACW works to sustain, strengthen, and advocate for women’s commissions, this event is open to the public. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in leadership development and peer-to-peer learning that will help them create innovative programming to address justice and equality for the women and girls in their communities.

“As our community strives toward an equitable recovery from the pandemic, we are grateful for this opportunity to exchange ideas and strategies with women from across the nation,” said LCWAG Chair Angela Mitchell. “Loudoun is home to historic national events, and our women and girls will lead the country’s future.”

“Hosting this conference in Loudoun County represents our community’s commitment to supporting women as they grow in all aspects of their personal and professional lives,” stated Carol Barbe, President and CEO of Backflow Technology, LLC. Backflow Technology, Inova Loudoun Hospital, and Visit Loudoun are among the local organizations sponsoring the event.

This year’s theme is “Hear Our Voices: Equality, Resilience, Advocacy”—the initials ERA being a nod to the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA was ratified by Virginia last January, nearly 50 years after the proposed amendment was sent to the states. The conference also honors the centennial celebration of women’s suffrage through its focus on leadership development and intergenerational learning. 

Mahsa Riar and Alana Andrews, both LCPS students and entrepreneurs, will speak at the event’s Teen Forum. Other notable speakers include: 

• Ashley Reynolds Marshall, Chair for the Virginia Council on Women and Deputy City Manager for Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for the City of Charlottesville; 
• Solitaire Carroll, Co-Founder and Executive Director of One Sparrow; 
• Joan Harrigan-Farrelly, Deputy Director of the Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor; 
• Carol Jenkins, President and CEO of the ERA Coalition and the Fund for Women’s Equality; 
• Ellie Smeal, Co-Founder and President of The Feminist Majority Foundation; 
• Lisa Sales, ERA Advisory Council and Fairfax County Commission for Women; and
• Kristina Bouweiri, Chief Executive Officer and President of Reston Limousine.

Attend virtually or in person. Register for the full conference or a single-day pass at:https://bit.ly/NACW2021.