San Francisco Bay Area, CA — WomenLeadForward.com™ (WLF) launches as a premiere online resource for women and girls of color that delivers effortless access to innovation, technology and entrepreneurial event listings; leadership programs; individual and business profiles; news; market research; career forums; success stories; and organization and media resources. Planning is underway for the inaugural Silicon Valley Women and Girls of Color Conference in Spring 2016. The forum, themed “Women Lead Forward in Living Color” will integrate a full spectrum of information bringing women and girls to center stage.

The just concluded Watermark Silicon Valley Conference for Women that featured Hilary Clinton—former U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and First Lady of the United States— demonstrated the growing demand to create a unique place for women in Silicon Valley. “Now is the appropriate time to launch WomenLeadForward.com and announce the inaugural Silicon Valley Women and Girls of Color Conference 2016 to directly engage women and girls of color as unique contributing leaders themselves. Women and girls of color offer a valued stand-alone perspective in the battle for equality and inclusion in leadership,” said Mitchell.
Recent headlines document that diversity inclusion for women and girls of color is visibly missing from the leadership ranks in technology, innovation companies and other segments. WLF provides a solution to that problem as a comprehensive Northern California, national and eventually global online resource for women and girls of color. “The project addresses the unmet needs of thousands of women and millennial women and girls of color who seek a visible platform to tell their own stories,” said Dr. Raye Mitchell, program founder and Chief Innovation Officer. “This program is distinguished from general market women’s leadership projects because one size does not fit all, and what works for general market women and girls advancement cannot be a substitute for the unique experiences and contributions of women and girls of color.”

WomenLeadForward.com rolls out first with its online site that delivers a full customer forum, an information portal and as a connector. The site presents an enhanced customer experience for African Americans and all women of color as a comprehensive, go-to resource and aggregator on events, arts, professional programs, and career development forums. Employers and corporate leaders seeking women of color talent or to promote and advance their diversity inclusion initiatives will find that WLF connects them to a focused and responsive audience.

Future expansion plans for Women Lead Forward in Living Color include a separate television show entirely focused on women and girls of color in global leadership. WLF is also planning to develop an innovation lab, and provide other forums including developing a mobile app to deliver access to rapid response telementoring, vital information, and interventions on demand to empower women and girls to lead forward. Discussions are underway to establish online and on-site professional development programs with the American University School of Professional & Extended Studies as well.

SOURCE