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Spirit of women’s leadership on display at conference
By Jeanette Barrow
jbarrow1@mscd.edu

   The Women’s Leadership Conference celebrated its 10th annual meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Friday with women who embody the spirit of women’s leadership in Colorado.
   Students, faculty and citizens were invited by UCD Student Life and Metro Student Activities to listen to keynote speakers: former Colorado Sen. and House Rep. Polly Baca and Nest Fresh egg company co-founder Cyd Szymanski.
   “ Always be authentic. Always tell the truth,” Baca said.
   Baca, a former member of the Clinton administration, started the discussion in the Tivoli with the history of women in the United States workforce and her path to success, along with the obstacles she encountered along the way.
   She said that being a Latina in the Colorado political arena did not make it easy. Baca now serves as executive director of the nonprofit Latin American Research and Service Agency, which is working to improve Latino life in Colorado.
   She said she believes leadership is better when based on a cause.
   “ If you don’t have a purpose greater than yourself, then it’s not going to make much of a difference,” Baca said.
  She also stressed the importance of community outreach.
“ If, in the pursuit of leadership, you are not serving others, then you are not serving yourself,” Baca said.
   The second keynote speaker, Cyd Szymanski, is the co-founder of Nest Fresh, the first egg production company to use only cage-free hens.
   She spoke of many sleepless nights and the constant challenges and pressures she had to overcome while establishing her company.
  “ I would encourage any of you with an entrepreneurial passion to go for it—but know that it is going to be a lot of hard work,” Szymanski said.
   She also discussed her passion for animal rights and encouraged the audience to be more “label-conscious” when buying products. We need to “look at the bigger picture” she said, explaining that spending a few cents more on a product could make a big difference.
  Szymanski encouraged women to join support groups that pertain to their particular industries.
  “ Keep your women friends close by because they can give you the support you need in a way that you need it,” she said.
   There were several “breakout sessions” in between the keynote speeches that attendees could choose from. Just a few of them included: a stress-relief workshop, a session titled “A Passion for Leadership,” which focused on nonprofit fundraising and a session about the Colorado suffrage centennial exhibit that encouraged viewers to start grassroots projects of their own.
   Viewers seemed to be pleased with the content of the program, but the overall turnout for the conference was low.

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