POWHER Play 2019 Professional Woman's Breakfast

The Chatman Women’s Foundation is an organization of community leaders that help women grow professionally and personally. Shantera Chatman is the Founder/CEO of the organization. TCWF hosts events throughout the year to help promote ladies to POWHer to be whatever it is that she feels that she is created to accomplish. These are women that are trying to get out of shelters, trying to start a business, go back to school and/or finish school. The organization is there to help EmPOWHER and support HER through her ambitions and goals. Mentoring events and breakfasts are some of the events that are held to help raise monies and receive donations to help give back and provide what is needed to grow, expand and reclaim the identity of these ladies.

I had the opportunity to attend the POWHER Play 2019 Professional Woman’s Breakfast Friday, August 9 at Ouisie’s Table in Houston, TX. Wisdom and knowledge were shared amongst the women and men in attendance to help develop and grow in the workplace as well in communication. Mark Winchester, one of the coaches at the breakfast and the Deputy District Director for the Houston District Office of the US Small Business Administration explained that “with knowledge comes power and with power comes business success”. It is important that both assets are being utilized effectively. Vanessa Reed, another coach in attendance at the breakfast and the Assistant Vice President and Community Reinvestment Act Manager of programs for Comerica Bank - South Texas stressed the importance of “removing emotions from the conversation when communicating.” Effective communication takes place when you are willing to hear the other person’s thoughts and perspective without emotional barriers. Emotional barriers such as anger and pride can prevent individuals from communicating. Anger can cause your brain to not process completely what is being conveyed and pride causes the need to always be right to turn others away and shut down the conversations. One of the guests, Shelly Nadel spoke on risks. “You have to be willing to risk your own assets for others to invest in your ventures. Take risks to make moves and to advocate for yourself.”

I was blessed and amazed with the breakfast. I was inspired by the different women of diverse backgrounds coming together to EmPOWER each other and support one another as they develop, climb and pull each other up the ladder of success. POWER Play allows women to grow in a different way and to have exposure by opening their minds to conversations they may never have had the opportunities before in the past. The Chatman Women’s Foundation, providing women with the opportunity to Grow, Explore and Indulge.