Dlamini, Recipient of National Award from Archbishop Desmond Tutu
The statewide annual event, hosted by Amway, Inforum, Meijer and Spectrum Health is in its 8th year and will embrace “The Power of Being Real,” with renowned authors and changemakers.
February 2020, Grand Rapids, Michigan – On Wednesday, March 4th, West Michigan will celebrate International Women’s Day with a special event hosted by Amway, Inforum, Meijer and Spectrum Health at DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The impressive speaking lineup includes keynote speeches and breakout sessions by: Buhle Dlamini, who worked closely with Nelson Mandela, Risha Grant, author and expert on diversity, inclusion and bias, and Manon Rhéaume, the first woman to play in an NHL game.
“Amway is excited to continue the celebration of women in West Michigan and the allies who support them,” said Angel Duff, Director and Managing Counsel of Legal HR & Diversity & Inclusion. “This year’s event will serve as a platform for productive discussions surrounding the importance of authenticity and overcoming adversity. This is aligned with Amway’s goal to cultivate a culture that actively encourages authenticity and empowers diverse perspectives to make a difference in the lives of our employees, our ABOs and their customers.”
This annual celebration will highlight the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and will be celebrated globally. This year’s local theme is The Power of Being Real, which focuses on helping women build better relationships, embrace diversity, support other women and alter the status quo of workplace dynamics. The Michigan event will honor this theme by hosting keynote speakers, Buhle Dlamini and Risha Grant, world-renowned culture and diversity experts.
"I am looking forward to presenting Unleashing Your Greatness at the International Women’s Day event in March,” said Buhle Dlamini, Global Speaker and Organizational Culture Expert. “The future of work requires a new way of thinking and doing things, presenting exciting opportunities for changing the status quo. As we enter the 2020s, it's time to unleash your greatness in achieving gender equity in the workplace. I will be sharing key insights on how to unleash the power of being real, being authentic to who you are (Be Who You Be), living your values and having a winning attitude. The future is already here and now is the time to unleash The Power of Being Real!”
The event will also include breakout sessions in which attendees will have the opportunity to self-select the focused learning session of their choice. Topics include Get Used to It with “The First Woman of Hockey,” How to Practice Emotional First Aid, Working Through Adversity and Handling Uncomfortable Situations with Unshakeable Confidence, and Women Helping Women: Strengthening Our Sisterhood for Success.
“Meijer is pleased to continue its sponsorship and participation in this year’s International Women’s Day program,” said Janet Kelley, Senior VP and General Counsel of Meijer. “This year’s program theme, ‘The Power of Being Real,’ resonates with the workplace focus on ensuring that everyone can bring their true and diverse selves to the workplace. As a Great Place to Work, Meijer is fully committed to providing a workplace that empowers all team members to harness the power of being real. This event will assist both women and men in reaching that goal.”
Risha Grant, winner of the 2019 Top 100 HR Influencers, will share her presentation, Want to Get Real? Get Rid of the BS!, encouraging attendees and companies to reflect on discrimination and diversity within the workplace.
“Your inner badass is waiting for the real you to show up, show out and radically accept yourself, flaws and all,” said Risha Grant. “There is power in your authenticity. Being authentic and confronting my bias has led me to live free. I’ll show you how The Power of Being Real can change your life too.”
The day-long event originally started as an Amway internal event but has since been opened to the public with sold-out crowds for the past several years.
“Spectrum Health is honored to sponsor and be a part of International Women’s Day, joined with local partners, we celebrate the achievements and contributions of women from around the world and within our community,” said Pam Ries, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer at Spectrum Health. “The sharing of women’s cultivated, comprehensive and diverse lived-experiences is important to the health and economic vitality of a region. When we support women, we support West Michigan.”
“This annual West Michigan celebration of International Women’s Day continues to play an important role in highlighting the community’s commitment to gender diversity,” said Terry Barclay, President & CEO of Inforum. “We are proud to be joining Amway, Meijer, and Spectrum Health in planning this year’s event that we hope will continue to inspire and engage the community.”
Those interested in attending the event can purchase tickets here.
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About Amway:
Amway is a family-owned, $8.8 billion direct selling company based in Ada, Michigan, USA that is committed to helping people live healthier, more empowered lives. Top-selling brands for Amway are Nutrilite™ vitamin, mineral and dietary supplements, Artistry™ skincare and color cosmetics, eSpring™ water treatment systems and XS™ energy drinks–all sold exclusively by Amway Business Owners. Global sales in 2018 made Amway the No. 1 direct selling business in the world, according to the 2019 Direct Selling News Global 100. The company’s annual sales figure includes revenue from direct selling operations and other business holdings. For company news, visit www.amwayglobal.com/newsroom.
About Inforum:
Inforum was founded in 1962 as the Women’s Economic Club to serve as a speakers and networking forum for women. At the time, women were not allowed to belong to existing business organizations or attend their meetings. Inforum has built on that early legacy to become the only educational and charitable nonprofit in Michigan–and one of only a few in the country–that combines strategic connections, proven professional development programs, a respected programs for new ideas, and original research to accelerate careers for women and boost talent initiatives for companies. To learn how Inforum can help you break through the glass ceiling, visit www.inforummichigan.org/.
About Meijer:
Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates more than 240 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the “one-stop shopping” concept and has evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, pet departments, garden centers, toys and electronics. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter at twitter.com/Meijer and twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.
About Spectrum Health:
Spectrum Health System, a not-for-profit, integrated health system, is committed to improving the health and wellness of our communities. We live our mission every day with 31,000 compassionate professionals, 4,300 medical staff experts, 3,300 committed volunteers and a health plan serving 1 million members. Our talented physicians and caregivers are privileged to offer a full continuum of care and wellness services to our communities through 14 hospitals, including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, 155 ambulatory sites and telehealth offerings. We pursue health care solutions for today and tomorrow that diversify our offerings. Locally governed and based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, our health system provided $585 million in community benefit in fiscal year 2019. Thanks to the generosity of our communities, we received $30 million in philanthropy in the most recent fiscal year to support research, academics, innovation and clinical care. Spectrum Health has been recognized as one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems by Truven Health Analytics®, part of IBM Watson HealthTM.
