Junior League of Portland Hosts Inaugural Rose City Women’s Summit

Portland, OR. More than 300 attendees came to the Hilton Downtown Portland for the inaugural Rose City Women’s Summit on May 11th. The Junior League of Portland hosted the event, a fundraiser for it’s community development fund, The 1910 Campaign. Sarah Burns, JLP President noted that this event “was an incredibly successful continuation of JLP’s legacy in our community to promote the development and potential of women. Organizers included Kristin Kilshaw, President Elect JLP, Sarah Burns, President JLP, Tarana Burke, Founder #MeToo, Danielle Caldwell, Fund Development VP, Fernanda Gwinner, Chair Rose Summit, Kim McNally, Co-Chair Rose Summit, Ashley Eil, Gretchen Corbett Award Recipient, KaDo Gorman, Past President -JLP

The attendees were inspired to be the change in their own world.” The Summit focused on diversity & inclusion which was woven into all aspects of the day including the keynote speech given by Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo Movement. It was also a time to honor women who have overcome tremendous adversity in order to change the course of their life. Ashley Eil, an instrumental part of launching this year’s Summit, received the first Gretchen Corbett Award for her outstanding service as a volunteer and advocate in Portland. The Rose City Women’s Summit raised around $30,000 for New Avenues for Youth, a Portland organization dedicated to the prevention and intervention of youth homelessness, and this year’s partner with the 1910 Campaign. (Photo credit, Helen Beavers; Firefly Photography.)

Attendees were able to enjoy engaging and inspiring talks from speakers around the country and around the region including Women’s Foundation of Oregon Executive Director, Emily Evans, who shared ways we can all support women at work, at home, and in the community. Jane Schwartzberg, Executive Director at UBS, shared her courageous story of life with metastatic cancer and how a change in perception can change your life. Keynote speaker, Tarana Burke, gave a heartfelt and engaging speech on how the seed for the #MeToo movement started over 10 years ago and how the focus needs to remain on the survivors and not the perpetrators.

Lunch was sponsored by the Junior League of Portland and UBS and included speakers Kristin Kilshaw, President-Elect of the Junior League of Portland; Jim Carrideo, Managing Director of UBS Portland; and Ashley Eil, Member Junior League of Portland who shared her story of overcoming childhood homelessness and the power of a relationship to change a life. The day featured a Marketplace which showcased local and regional vendors including Paper Epiphanies, Ground Up Nut Butters, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and Accessory Junkie, and provided opportunity for attendees to support local women-owned businesses.

The Junior League of Portland is an organization of more than 600 women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.