The Electricity Went Out- but the Power Stayed On
Here’s what happened:
Martha Hunt Handler welcomed everyone to the 2022 UN International Women’s Day live streaming event organized by the womenswolfpack.org and Bedford 2030 and shared the origin story of the Wolfpack, our vision and mission. Midge Iorio from Bedford 2030 spoke about the local initiatives around climate activism.
The live stream of the International Women’s Day for the UN Women kicked off, and inspiration set in as we all sat back for the 90-minute program, but mother nature had other plans and as a ripple effect from last night’s storm, exactly 22 minutes in, just right as incredible Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman began her powerful poem ‘Earthrise’, the electricity went out and the theater went dark.
All the collective fears of the organizing team about streaming something in a rural setting, the vagaries of the Internet and power- were actualized. But keep in mind that the gathering was a collective of women focused on productivity and progress- so the wolfpack being the wolfpack, we kept moving. As Martha aptly referenced in her opening remarks, Rudyard Kipling describes wolves as ‘more resilient when they work in harmony with one another, while using their individual talents to their fullest.’ And so we did.
The twist:
With no time wasted, we redirected and gathered upstairs where a bit of natural light streaming through the front entrance of the playhouse doors provided an unexpected opportunity to do the very thing the keynote speaker Dr. Jane Goodall proposes as the first step forwards, act locally. An organic unscripted conversation followed, and we asked women to share their local efforts, and goals for community impact, with the group.We heard from:
Martha Hunt Handler, one of the founding members of the Women’s Wolfpack and Board President of the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC), Martha shared the WCC’s mission and highlighted the pressing need for immediate contributions to save Animal Nation, a sanctuary to over 250 in that run serious risk of losing their home if we can’t raise funds within the coming 3 weeks! contact Barbra to be part of the 1pm farm tour Friday 3/11/22
Jenny Indig: Westchester Women Making Waves - a local, grassroots group of women business owners, entrepreneurs, founders, investors and more gathering to support one another, share resources and mentor the next generation.
Brittny Howel: Modern Vascular. Holistic medicine and aesthetics practice in Ridgefield, follow: @modernvascularct
Tina Villaveces: Yellow Studio and Pound Ridge Library Foundation
Jill Becker: IDEAcommittee (inclusion, diversity, equity advisory committee) of the Town of Bedford’s subcommittee: Transportation Justice Working Group. We are working on increasing bus routes, bus shelters, and benches and amplifying this need for many often overlooked.
Email Jill Becker to join future meetings
Sharbari Bose Kamat: Pound Ridge Human Rights Advisory Committee (HRAC)
Andromeda Turre: IDEAcommittee & my Growing Up Jazz Program
Xenia D’Ambrosi: Sweet Earth Co - sustainable floral and landscape design; local flower subscription service; Slow Flowers Summit
Eve Hundt: Rooted Solutions - Bedford 2030's newest climate action area that taps into natural climate solutions.
Tami McCarthy: KAHLO Collective - my mission to be conscious community hub around sustainability living , wellness, spirituality and connection. @kahlocollective
Sue Groner: Sue@theparentingmentor.com: The Parenting Mentor provides parents with strategies and perspective to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably comes from being a parent.
Cristina Civetta: as an advocate for heart health, shared an important reminder for all women that heart disease is the #1 cause of death in women, and we need to insist on heart screenings.
Additional details, contact information and event dates referenced by today’s impromptu speakers are available upon request- email us womeswolfpack@gmail.com.
Thank you to everyone who supported our efforts for the event by buying tickets, showing up for the watch party, routing from afar, sharing your stories, raising funds and awareness!
In the end:
Watching the program in the comfort of your home, as a shared experience with your friends and family is an opportunity we hope you’ll embrace. The performances and messages from International Women’s Day will inspire you to inspire others, and if all the amazing women in our local community watch this, our efforts will be that much more aligned,So we can’t help but wonder if this was what was supposed to happen. The agility of the Wolfpack today demonstrates that a movement is ready for its moment. Our individual efforts locally can and will cascade globally.
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