More than 200 people gathered at the Union League Club in Chicago to celebrate International Women’s Day on Thursday.The event was organized by the International Trade Club, WorldChicago, and also the Union League Club of Chicago. The event was the 11thannual gathering of women leaders.
Check out news and views of International Women’s Day from around Chicago by Columbia College Chicago students Hollis McNeil and Rachel Syms, and Julius Rea and Husnaa Vhora’s audio story from International Women’s Day.
Alice Chen is a financial, business and education development, human resource management and training consultant. She will receive her M.S. in a leadership program in Aug. 2012 from Benedictine University.
“We emphasize that women help women,” said Chen.
Jeanette Kreston is a member of the Musician’s Club of Women. Musicians Club of Women has been around since 1875. The club promotes women musicians through scholarship programs and performance opportunities.
“Anything we can do to promote young women, we want to be a part of,“ said Kreston.
Queta Rodríguez Bauer is the Principal of Cultural Communications. Cultural Communications assists organizations that deliver services to communities that need them most while educating the public on social issues.
“[International Women’s Day] highlights the importance of issues of many women especially, I think, the more people talk about [the issues], the more people will realize women have special problems and need special solutions,” said Bauer.
The event included many different organizations, and many set up booths on the second floor of the Union League Club.
Recognizing women means something different for each organization. A wide range of organizations like the League of Women Voters of Chicago, the Niagra Foundation, and Ovarian Cancer Symptom Awareness attended the fair.
The diversity of the exhibitors was a big reason why Emily Smith, representative for Chicagoland Commercial Real Estate, had a booth set up. Smith believes that the other organizations have the potential to become good affiliate partners for them.
Sarah Robb O’Hagan, president of Gatorade North America and global chief marketing officer of Sports Nutrition of PepsiCo, was the keynote speaker this year at the event.
International Women’s Day is recognized in some countries as a holiday. Social media was buzzing with celebration and support for women as it began trending worldwide Thursday morning.
