“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.”

—Bethany Hamilton, professional surfer

“Fear is a waste of time.”

—Jeanine Pirro, television personality and former judge

“Achieving the impossible has always been something that has drawn me in.”

—Eileen Gu, freestyle skier

Every March, the United States observes Women’s History Month. To mark the occasion, WeLoveU’s Eastern U.S. Chapter shared messages on social media from women who are leading meaningful change. The campaign honored women who confront challenges head-on, strengthen their communities, and make a positive impact on the world.

Women’s History Month grew out of efforts in the United States to bring greater recognition to women’s lives and achievements. What began as Women’s History Week was expanded in 1987, when the U.S. Congress designated March as Women’s History Month. Since then, the month has been observed as a time to honor women’s contributions throughout history and society. The year 2026 holds even greater significance as the United Nations–designated International Year of the Woman Farmer. It draws renewed attention to the essential yet often overlooked contributions of women farmers, who play a vital role in feeding humanity and sustaining communities around the world.

In keeping with the 2026 International Women’s Day theme, “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.,” the International WeLoveU Foundation (WeLoveU) held the Women’s History Month Forum to help ensure that all women and girls have the opportunity to realize their full potential and build fulfilling futures. Just as the courage of women in the past helped advance the rights and justice recognized today, the forum expressed the hope that our solidarity and action in the present will help shape a brighter history for tomorrow. It also highlighted the influence, leadership, and innovation women demonstrate across society.

The Latino Professional Network and Professional Women’s Network of EY (Ernst & Young), a global accounting and consulting firm that carries out various initiatives to support women’s empowerment, joined the forum and lent their support to WeLoveU’s efforts to create a better world.

Power of Women to Move the World

On March 18, the forum was held on the 48th floor of One Manhattan West in Manhattan, New York City. From the entrance, the venue was filled with the energy of women leaders from a wide range of fields, including education, public service, the judiciary, and business. Before the program began, attendees explored WeLoveU’s humanitarian activities around the world, all carried out with the heart of a mother, and reflected on the vital role women play in society.

The forum formally opened with a keynote address by Alysia Steinmann, Managing Partner of EY Metro New York. As the first woman to lead EY in the United States, Steinmann spoke candidly about her journey as a leader responsible for 15,000 employees and as a mother of two children on the autism spectrum. Describing leadership as a form of service, she encouraged the audience, “Be the woman in the room who speaks positively about and supports the woman who is not in the room.” She also emphasized that empathy lies at the heart of everything and described it as a powerful asset that costs nothing yet can change the world.

Following an introduction to WeLoveU’s activities rooted in a mother’s love, the program continued with two panel discussions and a fireside chat, offering speakers and attendees an opportunity to connect on a more personal level.

Panel Discussion 1

Community Resilience: Climate, Health, and Practical Preparedness

The first panel brought together professionals entrusted with the weighty responsibility of protecting lives, public safety, and human rights. They spoke candidly about the strategies they use to remain composed and exercise leadership in high-pressure and extreme situations.

🎯Key Takeaways

Grace Vanderhei (Nuclear Fuels Engineer at Constellation)

  • In specialized fields where women remain underrepresented, it is especially important not to become isolated.
  • Women should seek out people who will support them and not hesitate to build their own support networks wherever they are.

Denise M. Miranda (Commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights; Attorney)

  • Family is the key to maintaining composure in the emotionally demanding field of human rights. Taking time to reconnect with who she is beyond her professional title—as a daughter and a mother—gives her the strength to lead.
  • She builds a values-driven team whose members care for one another like family, helping them share the pressures of the work and support one another.

Dr. Syra Madad (Chief Biopreparedness Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals)

  • Because a leader’s composure during a crisis helps stabilize the entire team, every assessment and response must be firmly grounded in facts.
  • Infectious disease control and disaster response must go beyond addressing biological threats. They should also confront structural inequalities and place people first at every stage.

Panel Discussion 2

Women Leading Beyond Pressure: Care, Well-Being and Digital Safety

The second panel examined the invisible pressures women leaders face because of social prejudice and stereotypes. The speakers shared strategies for staying true to themselves while writing new narratives of success in the face of these challenges.

🎯Key Takeaways

Dr. Charlotte Farmer (Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at UL Research1 Institutes)

  • Reject impostor syndrome, which causes people to doubt whether they deserve their success. Women should trust that they already possess the qualities needed to succeed and broaden their influence through opportunities such as involvement in nonprofit organizations.
  • When faced with negative feedback that is not grounded in fact, rather than trying to change the other person, women can build their own distinctive narratives by allowing their lives and leadership styles to speak for themselves.

Loretta A. Boatey (“Women of Warner2” National Chair at Warner Bros. Discovery)

  • Reject the prejudice and stereotypes that portray women as weak, particularly in fields that have traditionally been difficult for women to enter.
  • Women should bring greater visibility to the achievements they have already made behind the scenes and continue reshaping how society perceives them.

Dr. Bindu Babu (Founder of Hearts of Change3 and Senior Clinical Advisor at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene)

  • Habitual self-deprecation can become embedded in the subconscious and gradually erode self-confidence. Women should therefore speak to themselves in positive and respectful ways.
  • Before they can love and lead others, individuals must first learn to love themselves. Self-care and rebuilding self-esteem are the most fundamental steps toward exercising healthy and positive influence.
  1. A safety certification organization that develops global safety standards for electronic devices and industrial equipment. ↩︎
  2. A women’s leadership network at Warner Bros. Discovery, a global media and entertainment company.  ↩︎
  3. An organization dedicated to supporting women’s emotional healing, recovery, and emotional independence. ↩︎

Fireside Chat

The forum concluded with a fireside chat in which the speakers candidly acknowledged that the path to leadership is rarely a straight one. Their conversation explored how courageous action, rather than perfect preparation, can build confidence.

Lisa Castellano, Managing Director and Strategic Relationships Leader at EY, advised, “Make the most of every opportunity and say ‘yes’ often, but be strategic about when to say ‘no.’ ”

Jazzlyn Feliciano, Director and GTM Strategy & Operations Lead at EY, also emphasized the importance of taking action: “Confidence comes after you act. Trust yourself, take on challenges with courage, and become a strong and resilient leader.”

Participants shared the deep inspiration they gained as they recognized common threads in one another’s experiences. Kadian Townsend, Managing Attorney at the Townsend Law Firm, said, “I felt a deep sense of connection as I listened to women from different fields share similar concerns and describe how they were addressing those challenges in their own ways.” Actress Chanel Riley said that hearing the voices of other women gave her greater confidence to move forward in the world. She also emphasized the importance of women asserting their right to say “no” to demands or expectations they do not wish to accept.

Tyona Washington, Principal of the High School for Excellence and Innovation in New York City, said, “View every difficulty as an opportunity to learn and grow, and believe that every room you step into is a place where you belong.”

Held in celebration of Women’s History Month, the forum provided a meaningful space for women leaders from diverse fields and backgrounds to share their experiences and put solidarity into action. Warm laughter and candid conversations filled the venue as attendees encouraged and supported one another through their respective challenges.

The spirit of solidarity fostered at the forum will provide a strong foundation for the next generation of women to pursue their dreams freely and confidently. WeLoveU will continue to support the positive changes women bring to society and carry out compassionate initiatives that offer meaningful, practical support to underserved women around the world.

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