“The first night I was pretty surprised at their ambitions,” Palmer said of the ladies who make up the Women’s Fund Board. “Linda Hanson (chair of the Women’s Fund) made a really good point: there aren’t a lot of good women mentors out there. Sometimes we end up in a guy’s world and you need a bit of that experience passed on to you so you know how to make it.” Linda Hanson, chair of the Women’s Fund, said the Presenting Yourself series was designed to empower low-income college women with the necRuth Gmeinder welcomes visitors essary skills to present to The Brainerd Area Women’s themselves for success Fund, “An Afternoon in Venice.” both through education While filled with frivolity, the event and career enhancement. raised funds for a variety of good The series includes three causes empowering women. workshops facilitated by professional women in the Brainerd lakes area in partnership with members of the Women’s Fund board. These workshops focus on topics ranging from an effective introduction and networking skills, the how-tos of applying for jobs and the interview process, to appropriate business attire and etiquette. “There was a lot of good advice,” Palmer said. “I look back 20 years ago when I started in a male dominated industry. If I’d had this information years ago, I wonder how much further I could’ve gone. It really gives a woman confidence and skills to get out there. Sell herself, but not sell herself short.” The Presenting Yourself series kicked off its second session in October with the participation of over a dozen CLC female students. But the series is only one tool the Women’s Fund hopes to utilize in
changing society’s perspective on women and giving those women strength and a sense of empowerment in their everyday lives. In June 2010, the Women’s Fund hosted an educational seminar featuring speakers from the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. The workshop, entitled “Our Future: Minnesota Girls are Not for Sale,” discussed the growing trend of female trafficking in the state of Minnesota and attracted more than 45 attendees, ranging from health care providers to social services employees to others who shared in the concern over the startling statistics. Karen Leonard, workshop presenter, said 33 percent of women in
A BLAWF workshop discussed the trafficking of girls for sex in Minnesota.
Minnesota will experience sexual violence by mid-life. This percentage only takes into account reported cases, as many women choose to remain silent, Leonard noted. One research study found that during a 10-month period in 2010, the number of adolescent girls sold for sex in Minnesota through Internet classified advertising and escort services increased 166 percent. By very conservative measures, the same research determined that approximately 213 girls are sold each month in Minnesota — an average of four to six times per day — through the Internet and escort services. This number does not include hotel, street or gang activity.
Participants, planners and presenters of the Presenting Yourself Workshop series. 8
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