March 2020

March 31 Press Conference via video call. Pictured: Barb Yong, Felica Davis, Susana Mendza, Kim Foxx, Candance Moore, Cherita Ellens, Toni Preckwinkle and Linda Xóchitl Tortolero

March 31 Press Conference via video call. Pictured: Barb Yong, Felica Davis, Susana Mendza, Kim Foxx, Candance Moore, Cherita Ellens, Toni Preckwinkle and Linda Xóchitl Tortolero

En Espanol / Spanish

Past speakers

2019  Keynote Speaker was Michelle Silverthorn, Founder and CEO of Inclusion Nation.  The MC was Jacky Priego, creator of PinkSlipped.  We enjoyed an original  performance by singer/songwriter Tatiana Hazel.   Other speakers included Mona Noriega, Commissioner of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations; Anna Valencia, Chicago City Clerk Cook; Toni Preckwinkle, County Board President; Audra Wilson, League of Women Voters Illinois Executive Director; J. Bryan Wood of The Wood Law Office LLC; Cherita Ellens, CEO and President of Women Employed; and Dorri McWhorter,  YWCA Chicago CEO.

2018  Keynote Speaker was Alpana Singh, former host of Check Please!, sommelier & restaurateur. The MC was Danielle Robay, co-host of morning TV show “The Jam”.  Other speakers included Mona Noriega, Commissioner of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations; Janice Glenn, Acting Director of Illinois Department of Human Rights; Anna Valencia, Chicago City Clerk; Dorri McWhorter, CEO of the YWCA; Carolyn Leonard, CEO of Dymynd LLC; Iiana Mora, CEO and President of Women Employed; Denise Ferguson, the Momentum Group; and Sheerine Almezadeh, co-founder of Healing to Action.

2017  A keynote was delivered by the co-organizers of the Women’s March on Chicago – Liz Radford, Ann Scholhamer and Jessica Scheller.  Other speakers included Dorri C. McWhorter, CEO of the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago; Maria Pesquiera, President and CEO, Mujeres Latinas en Accion;  Janice Glenn, Acting Director of the Illinois Department of  Human Rights; and Sharmili Majmudar, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Women Employed. The MC was Sally Lou Loveman of LoveSpeaks, LLC.  Rapper FM Supreme performed.

2016  ​Keynote Speaker was Luvvie Ajay, author of the popular blog AwesomelyLuvvie.com and of the new book, “I’m Judging You: The Do Better Manual.”  The MC was Sally Lou Loveman. FM Supreme performed. Speakers included  Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board of Commissioners President; Roberta Lynch, Executive Director of AFSCME Council; Melissa Josephs of Women Employed; and Dorri McWhorter, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago CEO.  The day included a performance by Women In Comedy, led by Victoria Elena Nones.