WEEN100 BRUNCH PHOTO RECAP
Photos By: Veronica Carter
Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network (WEEN) had its’ inaugural WEEN100 Brunch, at Catch in New City’s Meatpacking District, to celebrate the Network (WEEN) list of women leaders. These executives, celebrities and influencers have a proven commitment to the empowerment of women worldwide. Today’s brunch recognizes their achievements chosen with more than 1,500 WEEN members casting their votes. I was in the room among these powerhouse women who by vulture of their commitment to outstanding works continue in the fight for balance and equality among women.
The best way to characterize the feeling in the room would be “Black Girl Magic” on steroids. Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Chief Executive Officer and Kristi Henderson, Founding Member, National Board of Directors were the hosts for the brunch.
YANDY SMITH VALEISHA TAMIKA MALLORY
For the love of this organization and that I have much. We call ourselves the “number1’s”that is what the girls and I call ourselves. The first graduates of the WEEN program. Since, then we’ve had successes and failures, but today…I witnessed one of the “number1’s” my sister Gia Peppers, stand before me and the accomplished audience, as an example of what it is to work towards a vision. My spirit was future bolstered when Valeshia and Kristi recognized the other WEEN graduates in the room, we holders of legacy, I the visionary artist.
YANDY SMITH VALEISHA TAMIKA MALLORY
Valeisha & Gia Peppers
Brunch
Gia Peppers
The best way to characterize the remainder of the day, “Black Girl Magic” on steroids and that’s fitting because Demetria was there sharing her grace and elegant ‘slay.’ I first saw the hashtag used in her posts. The term fits that spirit within us that sass in our conversation, that sharpness in our intelligence, that talent and wit, that skill so effortlessly displayed, and of course the list is endless. How many of us are afraid to be who we are? Without fear or worry live and be prideful because we can and not be misunderstood. In this space the ladies we not constrained and began the process of nurturing the magical further. With the media stripping down our relationships and using dysfunction as a tool for an image, #ween represents a movement directed towards sisters. I like this feeling…freeing.
Valeisha
Janaye Ingram
The takeaway for the afternoon, celebrate the list. Leave more resolute in the purpose and in the sisters’ purpose. In my journey, I am developing, nurturing, and protecting my magic. Yet when we come together in these spaces, we record a special kind of universal code together that we follow-up on. We collecting and safeguarding notes of information to pass on long to each other and more black girls on their journeys. Remember, I do not know if everyone acknowledges her #blackgirlmagic. I mean it’s not just a term used for a hash tag, but a transforming revocation that we must personally affirm. It’s our self-perceptions that are deceitful and become a stereotype, in these types of spaces; I can feed off of my sisters without distortions and get to business.
Shante Bacon
Yandy Smith
YANDY SMITH VALEISHA TAMIKA MALLORY
WEEN ACADEMY ALUMNI SHANTIA B
DEMETRIA LUCAS
TEKOA & MICAELLA DUNCAN
YANDY SMITH VALEISHA TAMIKA MALLORY
GIA & YANDY
DEMETRIA LUCAS & SYRETA
De’ara Balenger
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