The Formation of an Arlington Women's Group to Strategize/Socialize/educate/Empower/Act

In the fall of 2013, seven Arlington women decided it was time to break down the silos among advocacy groups in Arlington. A few of these women already knew one another, and served on commissions or PTAs together. They met to flesh out an idea. Wouldn't it be great for a group of women who already take an active interest in Arlington, come together to ask strategic questions, educate themselves on issues, come up with ideas and then act on them?

It would also be a great way for women to socialize and network with one another in a fun, informal way. Food and wine would be essential ingredients.

Here is the first email message we sent out to about 100 women we collectively knew in Arlington:

The idea?  100ArlingtonWomen Meet Up   to    Strategize/Socialize/Educate/Empower/Act

We envision “100ArlingtonWomen” [working title]  as a powerful group of motivated women who live/work in Arlington and want to connect both personally and professionally to educate ourselves on crucial and quality of life public concerns in Arlington, from schools to smart growth. Our goal is to empower ourselves to seek solutions and advocate for change. We plan on holding quarterly wine and cheese gatherings and running a moderated listserv. Add your voice, socialize and create new ties - it's our community. Make sure you have a say. 

Please join us for our inaugural meeting on Sat., Feb. 1, from 7-9 p.m. at the Lyon Park Community House, 414 N Fillmore St. between N Pershing Drive and 4th Street.

We know the women to whom we are reaching out are ALREADY busy, but believe that by interconnecting skills and existing networks we can increase personal/collective outcomes with little extra time invested.  We are not tied to a political party.  We want to create an informal gathering of creative thinkers to educate ourselves on issues and propose solutions.

 

We received many positive emails in response, and met with about 45 other women on February 1st at the Lyon Park Community Center.