Constructing futures, one woman at a time.
Eleven weeks doesn’t seem like enough to contain it all.
Which is probably why a latecomer asked me afterwards, “Now, how long were they in this program?”
“Eleven weeks," I respond.
His shocked expression confirms that I’m not out of line in thinking that it just doesn’t seem like enough to contain it all.
All the change, the growth, the transformation that seems to have occurred throughout the First Female Construction Employment Class implemented by the Goodwill of Greater Washington, a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation.
As part of Stepping Stones, and based on the research in our Portrait Project, The Women’s Foundation influenced Goodwill—which has been providing job training to disadvantaged populations in the area for over 60 years—to take their co-educational pre-apprenticeship construction training program and form a new one geared specifically for women in Prince George’s County.
Today, I attended the resulting graduation ceremony, where 17 women clearly got much more than certificates.
The certificates and construction seemed almost an after-thought, in fact. The focus was instead on the importance of keeping journals and setting goals. Of being sure to reflect on your life and do what you love. Of setting high standards and expectations and meeting them. Of living and working with integrity.
Not necessarily information one needs to built a support beam.
But crucial if one is to build a support team.
Which is exactly what Goodwill has done, by looking beyond the skills to the person using them, and by working with community players to address every aspect of the challenge of changing one’s life. Mentors from the National Association of Women in Construction encouraged the trainees by sharing their own stories of struggle and success in a traditionally male-dominated field. The Goodwill Program Director, Robyn, made the women read books about life and well-being to combine with their lessons on levels. Goodwill’s Joseph Mitko led discussions with the trainees on issues personal, private and sometimes painful, that made them all much more than classmates. Construction companies around the area took the trainees on tours of important construction sites and individuals came in from various organizations and companies to lead workshops on resume writing and goal-setting and taking care of yourself when life gets crazy.
And it was clear that it did.
As one graduate said in reference to the obstacles that could have hindered their success, “The devil was really busy.”
That devil of seemingly small things that can so easily derail a dream.
Especially, it seems, for women.
Transportation.
Baby-sitters.
Sick kids.
That devil seemed to have nothing on these women, though.
They networked for each other if someone couldn’t make a job fair. They carpooled and strategized about buses and trains. They invited one woman’s young son into the class for the duration when her nanny quit. She was crying as she thanked them for this. Otherwise, she would have had to have quit.
“You could have complained,” she said. Instead, they provided snacks and are including his name on the class plaque.
These women supported and shared their way to success.
And it was clear that’s what would keep them going. Much like with high school, it’s the relationships, the encouragement, the meeting challenges and pushing oneself that will define your future, not the algebra or the biology you may carry away.
Which may be why the women seemed a bit more excited about the “female power music mix CD” and the Passages journals they received from Goodwill than they were about their certificates.
Because while the certificates and the skills may get them where they want to go, it seemed that it’s the spirit of the CDs and the journals and the confidence of camaraderie that will keep them going.
As one graduate said, “We will never forget the great expectations you had for us…we accept the responsibility of being the first class of this type, and will achieve the success you have envisioned for us.”
Because construction skills may build buildings. But it takes much more than that to build a future.
To see pictures of the event, click here!
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December 21st, 2006 at 1:40 pm
[...] Half of the world’s women continue to give birth without skilled care. So, since much remains to be done to ensure that countries, communities, schools and families are safe, equitable and empowering for women and girls, Washington Area Women’s Foundation presents you with… Your Calendar for Helping Women and Girls in 2007 January: Click to prevent! While setting up your annual doctor’s exams, check-ups and monthly reminders to do breast exams, take a moment to visit The Breast Cancer Site and sign up for daily reminders to click to provide a free mammogram to a low-income woman! February: Teach a girl the power of the purse! When reviewing your W-2s and savings strategy with your financial planner, take some time to teach a young woman in your life—a daughter, cousin, niece or neighbor—about the value of saving, investing wisely and planning for her financial future! For resources, click here! March: Turn celebration into action! Celebrate Women’s History Month with your book club by celebrating a female author and turning your collective reading into giving by starting a Giving Circle and investing together in women in your local community! Read about Giving Circles and then learn how here! April: Spring clean someone to success! Clean out that closet and set up another woman for success through Dress for Success! May: A meaningful Mother’s Day! Celebrate the Mom who has it all by supporting a woman who can become it all! Give a gift honoring your mom to the women’s foundation serving your community. Goodsearch your way to it, and catalyze a donation every time you click! June: Put your money where your values are! Invest in or support a woman-owned business! Need to find a new doctor or dentist this year? Narrow your search by supporting women’s practices. For other ways to show off your pro-woman purchasing power, use directory’s like this one showcasing women-owned businesses! July: Patriots practice philanthropy! Show your patriotism through the American tradition of generosity! Give a gift on behalf of an important woman in your life—a mentor, teacher, mother, friend, colleague or sister—to your local women’s foundation, a domestic violence shelter or another organization that benefits women. August: Beat the heat, be a mentor! School’s about to be back in session, so get away from the heat by surfing your way to a local mentoring program! Young women everywhere are inspired and encouraged by role models who show them the value of education, encourage their interests and help them build the skills that will make them great students and citizens. Just look at what’s happening in Silver Spring, Maryland! For resources on mentoring programs in your area, consult Mentor, visit Dollar Philanthropy for an inspirational word on the value of mentoring or check in with your local women’s foundation—which most likely supports excellent mentoring programs for young women in your area! And remember, mentoring isn’t just for the young! As women move into non-traditional careers or from low-wage jobs to professional careers—which is happening daily thanks to local women’s foundations—they need mentors and support! Check in to learn how you can be a part of transforming lives and building futures! September: Become a political maven! School is back in session! Keep learning by studying policy initiatives that empower women and girls, whether on a national or state level. In 2007, likely policy areas to watch are living wage (90 percent of all long-term, minimum wage earners are women!), mandatory paid sick and maternity leave (We are the only country in the world without mandatory paid maternity leave!), the Earned Income Tax Credit, subsidized child care and affordable college education. Choose three issue areas, track them, and be sure to e-mail or call your representatives to let them know where you stand! October: Trick or trivia! Don’t get tricked on your trivia…know your facts! Check out these little known census facts about women in the U.S.! November: Put the giving in Thanksgiving! Bring the three T’s to the season of Thanksgiving: time, treasure and talent! Create a year-long plan for volunteering time at an organization whose mission you believe in, set up automatic monthly contributions to your local women’s foundation contribute your talents by helping other women file their tax returns, providing financial training and education, teaching English to recent immigrants or providing career development courses! Get in touch with your local women’s foundation to learn how you can get involved! December: Create a legacy! It’s never too soon to plan for your legacy. Meet with your attorney about providing for organizations that assist women through a bequest in your will. [...]
January 8th, 2007 at 10:59 am
[...] Pursuing Happyness: If Chris were Christine… I love Will Smith. And I loved his new movie, Pursuit of Happyness. Like Blood Diamond, it falls into a new category of movies I’ve developed, called Amazingly Important and Well Made, But Really, Really Hard to Watch. Because they’re true, and feature the needless suffering and struggle that result in unjust systems, and it’s painful to keep watching as things get worse and worse for people trying to live honest lives and care for their families. Chris Gardner’s story in Pursuit of Happyness shows how easily people can fall through the cracks when they’re living paycheck to paycheck and barely making it, even when they’re working and doing their best to care for their children. How divorce can mean a sudden, unexpected loss of crucial income, or a car necessary to earn a living can be impounded or sudden illness or theft can mean the difference between living in a home and fighting to get into a shelter. And how sometimes doing what needs to be done to make a step up, to change a life and make professional progress can be more of a short-term setback than taking a long-term, low-wage job. Because sometimes the internships and trainings are unpaid, so, without support, the six month training that could bring a family out of poverty and into progress becomes unattainable and impossible. So I couldn’t help but appreciate Chris Gardner for telling his story, and Will Smith for bringing it to life. It’s an important story, and one that we should see and understand visually, because it’s happening all the time, every day, in every city we live in. But I must admit that while I found it very moving that Chris was such a powerful father figure for his son, I did still find myself wishing that Chris had been a Christine. That this story could have been seen through a woman’s eyes, since in the majority of cases, these stories are those of women. Nationally, 85 percent of custodial parents are women, who, on average, earn $24,000 annually. In Washington, D.C., 30 percent of women-headed families live in poverty. Nationally, it’s 27 percent. [...]