WREN sells out third-annual Summit; leads discussion on pay, workplace and social equity

The Women’s Rights & Empowerment Network (WREN) hosted a sell-out crowd for their third-annual conference, 2019 WREN Summit: The Time Is Now. The event, held Monday, April 1 in conjunction with Equal Pay Day, brought together business and community leaders for discussions on professional and personal empowerment tactics for women. Bank of America President Kim Wilkerson led a keynote session, and a pay equity conversation with WNBA All-Star A’ja Wilson rounded out the day.

“We were so inspired to see such a diverse and energetic crowd of women leaders and advocates at this year’s WREN Summit,” says WREN CEO Ann Warner. “WREN will continue to provide a platform for women to turn inspiration into individual and collective action.”

The event, which boasted over 14 sessions, had over 300 registrants. Participants and speakers represented all regions of the state, as well as both public and private sectors. The event also saw a record number of sponsors, representing companies from around the state that support equal workplace opportunities and practices.

“WREN is breaking down silos between the corporate, political, nonprofit, and activist communities in order to catalyze collective forward movement,” said Ali Titus, College of Charleston adjunct professor and WREN Summit planning committee member. “I believe that every sector has a responsibility in the mission for equity, but so often, our attempts at problem-solving exclude and/or commoditize the very individuals who are best qualified to lead us to real results. In defiance of this tradition, WREN has intentionally designed a culturally conscious space, giving experts from diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities not just a welcome seat at the table, but more importantly, a platform, a microphone, and an audience.”

Bank of America’s Wilkerson spoke to her experiences as a woman in finance, exemplifying what equality for women can look like in a corporate setting. Among its leading employee well-fare practices, Bank of America offers new parents both paid maternity and paternity leave.

Also a notable conversation, former Gamecock and current Las Vegas Aces WNBA star A’ja Wilson spoke with former journalist Roshanda Pratt about the importance of closing the pay gap between WNBA players and their NBA counterparts. About “more than money,” Wilson noted the disproportionate share in revenue between the two leagues, where NBA players see a 50 percent revenue share, as opposed to the 25 percent the WNBA sees.

The goal of WREN’s 2019 Summit was to help attendees build personal skills, as well as  mobilizing and expanding a collective movement to make South Carolina a better state for all who call it home.

For more information about WREN, visit www.scwren.org.

WREN, the Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network, is a South Carolina-based network created to build a movement to advance the health, economic well-being, and rights of South Carolina’s women, girls and their families. WREN provides a strong, collective voice for South Carolina’s women and girls. WREN is a non-partisan, non-profit organization.