Women’s Leadership Conference Recognizes HBCU Leader and Other Change-Makers

Charlotte lived up to its “Queen City” nickname this week as hundreds of women gathered in south Charlotte for the 12th annual Career Mastered Women’s Leadership Experience.

The three-day conference celebrates women in leadership while investing in the next generation, awarding more than $60,000 in scholarships to girls ranging from elementary school through high school.

Several trailblazing women were also recognized for their impact and leadership, including Oscar-nominated journalist Soledad O’Brien, who spoke about the importance of supporting women during challenging times.

“It’s been a rough year for women generally. It’s been a rough year for Black women specifically,” O’Brien said. “So career wise and job wise as far as job losses, I think events like this are really important.”

Among this year’s honorees were Johnson C. Smith University President Valerie Kinloch and Estella Patterson.

“It’s an honor of a lifetime to be in this moment to be supportive of other people, but also to now be supported myself,” Kinloch said. “The work is hard. It’s a labor of love what we do, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The conference concludes Thursday with a leadership masterclass led by strategist Lisa Wicker.

“Being in this moment means that we continue to persevere,” Kinloch added. “We continue to invest in our communities and in our lives, and we continue to say that women also rule the world — and we do — and we’re being recognized for such.”