Our "Cheers to Our Year" Breakfast event is Friday December 5, from 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. at the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco. The breakfast is free to attend and lasts only an hour, but this inspirational event is one of our largest fundraisers of the year. For information on becoming a sponsor or table host, please contact Madhuri Kirkham at 510-287-3107 or mkirkham@womensinitiative.org

We'll also be hosting our first Silicon Valley "Cheers to Our Year" breakfast on December 12 from 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. For information on becoming a sponsor or table host, please contact Melissa Greer at 408-999-7609 or mgreer@womensinitiative.org.

Ten Grads Attend Maria Shriver's Women's Conference in Long Beach

Hosted by First Lady Maria Shriver, The Women's Conference is the nation's premier forum for women where hearts and minds gather every year to unite thousands of women with a common purpose - to empower, inspire and educate women everywhere to be Architects of Change in their own lives, in their communities, and around the world. We are honored that Women's Initiative was featured at the conference on October 22 - 23, 2008.

Women's Initiative is part of the WE Invest program envisioned and sponsored by First Lady Maria Shriver and The Women's Conference. Ten Women's Initiative clients were invited to The Women's Conference to sell their products. In addition, Chevron and the Conference sponsored 200 women to go through our business training this year. Women's Initiative graduates attending The Women's Conference are: Susan Grant, Erica Varize, Patricia Tang, Sahar Kordahi, Nana-Dictta Graves, Rosie Estrada, Drucilla Anderson, Elsy Castellon, Jennifer Rowan, and Bobbie Rucker.

In addition to selling their products to the 14,000 attendees of the conference, our clients were able to hear the talks of such leaders as Warren Buffet, Condoleezza Rice, Gloria Steinem, Sallie Field, Cherie Blair (wife of former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair), and Bono.

Graduate Sahar Kordahi found that she was "truly inspired meeting incredible world leaders and visionaries, creating new friendships, and prospecting for new business at the conference. "In just 2 day, I gave away 2500 personalized bookmarks, signed up over 200 women for my newsletter, and made powerful contacts to help me expand my business," she says. "The conference gave me the inspiration to take my business to the next level and affirm that 'I can and will achieve anything I set my mind to,' anything at all!"

"Live Your Dreams" Business Conference a Huge Success

More than 260 Women's Initiative clients and graduates attended our 4th annual bi-lingual Business Conference on November 3rd. The theme of this year's conference was Live Your Dreams, and the conference was filled with seminars, speakers and events to inspire and help enable women to make their dreams a reality.

After a warm welcome at breakfast by graduate Mieasha Harris, and an affirmation by graduate Sahar Kordahi, we were inspired by our keynote speaker Amilya Antonetti, founder of Soapworks and the Lucky Cookie Company. Amilya told us how, despite significant challenges, she built a multi-million dollar company by never taking no for an answer. At the end of breakfast, Amilya had the attendees do an exercise that helped get them started with networking for the day. In addition, Amilya generously donated a scholarship to one of her "Mind to Market" weekends - a two-day, entrepreneurial workshop with one-on-one coaching with business experts. The lucky winner of the scholarship was Lida Marchetii.

After breakfast, attendees were off to the first of two seminar sessions. A total of 21 seminars in English and Spanish were offered on various topics to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

A highlight of the day was the Leadership Luncheon, which was attended by nearly 600 graduates, clients and supporters of Women's Initiative. During lunch, we honored Guisell Osorio of Sabores del Sur with the Giving Graduate award for her endless support of Womn's Initiative. We also honored six Bay Area business leaders with the Pacesetter Award. The honorees, who are from each of the five counties Women's Initiative serves, were Melissa Bradley, Bradley Real Estate; Sylvia Kwan, Kwan Henmi Architecture; Linda Gold, M3i Works; Angela De La Housaye, De La Houseaye and Associates and Baran & Etrat Elahi, The Nutty Cookie company. During a panel discussion, the Pacesetter honorees shared what challenges they had overcome to become successful and inspired the audience with stories of their humble beginnings to their incredible accomplishments.

In the afternoon, graduates attended more seminars and had the opportunity for "speed mentoring" during a Get Connected session. More than 90 professionals met with Women's Initiative graduates in small sessions to provide networking opportunities as well as offer expert advice on a variety of topics. As a result, not only advice was given, but in some cases, mentoring relationships were started.

Many clients found the Business Conference inspiring.

 “The conference re-inspired me and connected me with women who have similar goals. I enjoyed meeting other WI graduates and seeing their successful businesses. It gave me perspective on how successful I am, and will become and to keep moving forward,” said Helene Ehrlich.   And graduate Roslyn Singh said, “I thought that the conference was very inspiring, especially the keynote speaker, Amilya Antonetti.  I am going after the big, pretty cookie from now on and no longer shall I sacrifice myself or my children for someone else’s sake.”

Our Conference offered networking opportunities that empowered our clients to grow their businesses even more, and enable them to constructively see the many possibilities for their future. This event was an excellent opportunity for all women to rethink their personal goals and strategies, and to feel both inspired and connected to the Women's Initiative community.

New and Improved Client "Yellow Pages" Now Available at www.womensinitiative.org

Just in time for the holidays, Women's Initiative has updated and improved their online directory of Women's Initiative client businesses. We've added or updated about 75 businesses in the directory, and businesses are now searchable by name, type of business, and location. We've also added a detailed map showing the location of Women's Initiative businesses. Businesses are indicated with red flag, and users can click on the flag for more information about the business.

This holiday season and year round, we encourage you to shop local and shop Women's Initiative businesses. When you support a Women's Initiative client business, you help bring jobs, tax receipts, and new income to your local community. Following are our top eight reasons to shop at Women's Initiative businesses:

1. Maximize the return on investment - keep it local
2. Enhance the unique character of neighborhoods
3. Build local leadership in our community
4. Preserve the environment
5. Create quality jobs
6. Get better customer service
7. Increase product diversity and competition
8. Help low-income families to achieve the American Dream

Mother/daughter business partners and graduates Carmen de Salinas and Xiormara Salinas of Musica Columbia Fusion and Café have been awarded a Fairy Godmother grant of $2,500 from the Ms Foundation for Women. The Fairy Godmother Fund was established in 1997 to support the development of individual microenterprises across the country. Each year, this endowed fund generates micro-equity grants that provide funds to qualified woman-owned businesses. Only five awards of up to $2,500 each are made each year.

Jazz vocalist and graduate Anna Maria has found her way onto this year's Grammy nomination ballot. Her album, "In the Fourteenth Hour," is on the nomination ballot for Best Jazz Vocal Album, Best New Artist, and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

Miriam Sidney has put in more than 400 hours since she started volunteering with Women's Initiative in March. Miriam spends about three days a week working with the research and policy department in the Oakland office. Her main project has been creating the Reference Library, a database which allows the team to easily locate all kinds of relevant statistics, research, articles and other reference materials. In addition to doing a fantastic job on the project, she has really become part the team in Oakland. She readily pitches in whenever and wherever anyone needs her help, she does it all with a cheerful and respectful attitude. According to Liz de Renzy, WI researcher and data analyst, "Not only is Miriam fun to work with, she is extraordinarily, responsible, smart and self-managing. Miriam is the best volunteer I could have hoped for."

Miriam was especially helpful at this year's Business Conference, spending the entire day at the event and doing all tasks assigned to her as well as jumping in and helping with additional tasks whenever she could.

When not with Women's Initiative, Miriam also interns with Mills College for their "Living with Lupus" project, an ongoing study examining various aspects of life for women diagnosed with SLE. In the past, Miriam has volunteered with Women's Cancer Resource Center, Children's Hospital Oakland, and Reading Buddies. In fact, her previous volunteer work and community service earned her the Community Service Award from Piedmont High School in 2003.

Miriam attended Yale University and graduated from Mills College with honors in December 2007.

When artist and business owner Soña Holman tells people, "Joining the Women's Initiative program is the best thing I've ever done in my life," she is not just referring to the development of her art ambitions into a growing business or the network of friends she has made through the program; she is referring to the change she has made within herself.

Soña, a self-taught, abstract painter, spent ten years navigating a series of health challenges, financial instabilities, and layoffs while trying to survive as a part time artist in San Francisco and Marin County. "I felt like I had no job stability," she says. Actively involved in the art community for the last 25 years, Soña remained dedicated to her artistic ambitions along side of jobs in administration and customer service, painting in her spare time and exhibiting at several shows a year.

"It costs about $22,000 a year to be an artist," explains Soña, describing the high cost of entering shows, documenting pieces, and creating her work. "Any extra money I made went to that. I was always broke."

In June of 2007, Soña discovered she would have to permanently leave her most recent administrative position due to a work related injury, placing the possibility of continuing her artwork in jeopardy. She realized it was time to take a step towards changing her life.

Soña decided to follow in the footsteps of a friend who had successfully started a petcare business through the Women's Initiative. "I watched her business grow," says Soña. "It was something I wanted to do." When she found out Women's Initiative was opening a center in Marin, she jumped at the opportunity to turn her painting into a fulltime business. She became part of the second class of twelve graduates from the new Marin center.

Soña started her classes in September of that year and by January she was ready to open her business creating, promoting, and selling her artwork. In her classes, she developed a two year business plan which charted out milestones in building her career. "I now have a clear vision of why and how I am doing things, how my actions fit into my business," says Soña. "I am taking a strategic approach to my career."

Nine months into running her business, sales of her paintings, which express the 'landscape of the spirit,' are more than double what they were all of last year. Additionally, Soña has developed a series of cards and prints showcasing her paintings and has exhibited at several highly competitive juried shows, including two fine art festivals.

More important than the impact the program has had on her art career, however, is the impact it has had on her sense of self. "There is a night and day difference in my confidence in who I am and where I am in my career," she says. "Just the idea that I can take charge of my life makes me feel so much safer."

"I am a self-taught artist," explains Soña. "I never went to college. As such, this experience has special meaning for me. It gives me a sense of legitimacy. Being a business owner, gives me a sense of place within the community."

Since graduating, Soña has maintained close contact with her fellow graduates. She also has joined the Fast Track program, a Women's Initiative pilot program for Marin graduates working in underserved areas such as retail, wellness, and art. The program provides a workshop series around specific business development topics. At the end of the program each participant will present her work to a panel of industry representatives.

"That's another thing the program does well," says Soña. "After you graduate there are so many opportunities for professional development. I don't feel alone; I am connecting with people. I am part of something larger than myself. Often times, being an artist can be isolating. To be around other women who are supportive is a big deal."

One day, Soña hopes to be able to fully support herself with her business. In the meantime, says Soña, "I am proud that I am doing as much as I can to build my career."

Soña just exhibited her work this October and November at the San Francisco Open Studios in SOMA and Hunters Point. She has exhibited her work at nine art shows since graduating from Women's Initiative. Her work can also be viewed at www.sonaholman.com.

---- Melanie Chase