MARCH 2, 2024

On Saturday, March 2, 2024, 45 active and sustaining members attended the JLT Women’s Leadership Conference in celebration of International Women’s Day. The first participant, long-time Sustainer, arrived before the official start time. Volunteer members of the Leadership Development (LD) team were doing last-minute set-up activities and the Sustainer offered to help. When a first-year member on the LD team, said the team didn’t need help, the seasoned Sustainer insisted saying, “That’s what we do in the League, we help where we can.” It was a wonderful start to a day that reminded the long-time members why they joined the JLT and introduced new members to the welcoming, supportive culture of the JLT.

Most Conference participants either hadn’t met or seen each other in person since 2019. As everybody arrived, there was a flurry of hugging, laughing, and many photos shared.  The LD team carefully chose and worked with the speakers and topics for the Conference to ensure they were relevant to members at all stages of their lives and JLT careers. The intention was to create a safe space for learning where everybody would be comfortable meeting new people, asking questions, and sharing their own stories.

       .        .       

The day flew by in a blur of energy, enthusiasm, and laughter. One brand new member of JLT said,  “Today’s Leadership Conference was inspiring, energizing, and just what I needed.”

After years of Zoom calls and hybrid meetings, the more tenured members commented that the day reminded them of how things used to be in the JLT. Amidst more hugging and promises to stay in touch, participants left the conference feeling excited and enthusiastic about what they had learned, the members they had met or been reunited with, and their future volunteer work with the Junior League of Toronto.

.