letter from the president
a letter from
Charlitta Hatch JLC President 2020-2021 A few years ago, I ran across a quote that said “It was never a dress.” That quote has shaped my perspective on the power of women and the potential we possess as we navigate through the various roles we play. Over this last century, women have evolved in the roles they play at work, at home and in the community and while some women may wear dresses, WE know that it was never a dress. Junior League of Charlotte women are women who are committed to our tripart mission of promoting voluntarism, developing women, and impacting the community while also serving in a variety of roles that include being educators, lawyers, doctors, moms, artists, business leaders, philanthropists and activists. The way that we saw the year of perfect vision going changed on Friday, March 13, 2020, and yet Junior Leaguers reminded the community that it was never a dress. Our 1600-member organization filled with superheroes took our unique superpowers and combined them to effect change in our community. A superhero is a person who does heroic deeds and can do them in a way that a normal person could not. To be a superhero, you need a power that is more exceptional than any power a normal human being could possess, and you need to use that power to accomplish good deeds. Together we are exceptional women that accomplish anything united and centered around our mission, sending a reminder that “it was never a dress.” This year presented several challenges surrounding our communities during this 2020-2021 League year, including but not limited to, the global pandemic, racial injustice and inequities, an economic crisis, and difficult conversations surrounding the election, while still solving for when we can ALL be together again. One thing we have demonstrated is that when we put our mind to any challenge and combine our superpowers, amazing things happen. Some of the superpowers that we have used to make our mission possible this year include resilience, tenacity, empathy, and grit. While the strategies and procedures that we have used in the past have changed, what has remained constant is that each of our members have used their superpowers to shape the way the JLC engages members, our brand and perception internally and externally, our community impact, and how our donors and supporters help us further our mission. Our Junior League heroic women have adopted the mantra Impossible is a mindset. Impossible things become possible when they are done all while proving that it was never a dress. Sincerely,
Charlitta Hatch
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