Power of Women: Honoring the Past, Reimagining the Future

For nearly a decade, I have had the privilege of helping bring Power of Women to life. Over the years, I have watched it expand and change, but I have never lost the feeling I get when I see the room fill with women from across our community. 

There are moments I still think about often. I remember Soledad O’Brien challenging us to think differently about leadership and whose stories are told. I remember Liz Murray sharing her extraordinary story and reminding us what can be possible even when the path forward feels impossible. 

One thing Liz said that day has stayed with me: “When you treat someone like they’re broken, they behave like they need to be fixed.” I find myself thinking about those words often as we travel across Indiana for our listening sessions. We are not entering communities assuming we know what is broken or how to fix it. We are listening to women and working alongside them to understand what lasting change can look like. 

That is part of why I am so proud to help plan Power of Women. The funds raised through this event allow us to keep doing this work and help create the conditions for women and girls across Indiana to thrive. 

Every Power of Women has been different, but that has always been part of what makes it special. It gives us a reason to come together, hear from women whose experiences stay with us and think about the role each of us can play in creating change. 

This year, as we celebrate 30 years of impact and our first Power of Women as the Women’s Foundation of Indiana, we are reimagining what that gathering can be. 

Power of Women: Reimagined - The Magic Within will feel different from the moment you walk into the Indiana Roof Ballroom. We are creating a more immersive experience that honors the history of this event while opening the door wider for what it can become. You will see 30 years of impact brought to life and hear directly from women in our communities about the challenges they see and the future they imagine. 

After so many years of working on this event, I am especially excited for this one. There is something meaningful about looking back at everything that brought us here while also giving ourselves permission to create something new. 

I hope you will join us on Tuesday, Oct. 20. After nearly a decade of Power of Women, I am more excited than ever to see what this next chapter becomes. 

Individual tickets for Power of Women: Reimagined will go on sale Sep. 8. I cannot wait to welcome you into the room. 

Gerri Pagach
Senior Philanthropy Officer
Women's Foundation of Indiana