Last evening, I had the privilege of sitting with four of the most dynamic women I've met in years! Their energy, commitment to women and women's empowerment was a source of rejoicing and praise during the late night drive home from Ohio!

The background is that we are spearheading the launching of a new network associated with the nation's largest organization for professional and executive women. The group includes some AWP community members as well.

Our plan includes a speech by one of the women who is, among other things, a sought-after motivational speaker. When I was asked what I wanted her to speak about, I replied,

?Where women gather - there is Power?!

It was evident last evening as each of us shared a wee-bit about the journey that brought us to the table at Perkins near Cincinnati. And no where was it more evident than in the bond that quickly formed among us with the result that before we left the parking lot - a plan was already ?hatching? to find the means and mechanism for mentoring women from victim to victory - regardless of the life situation where they find themselves ?victims?!

We are powerful! We have the power! Although many of the very institutions that should have provided the tools for empowerment have failed to do so - due either to ignorance or by design - women come to a point in life where we know we are powerful!

Where we gather and bring our individual potential and possibilities (our power), we possess awesome power to effect positive change - on ourselves, our families, our neighborhoods, communities and ultimately - the world at large!

When I speak of power, I'm not talking about ?power over?! I'm talking about ?power for?.

The power we possess to be one of the world's richest sources of influence. Richest sources of positive change.

Women get things done!

We are the world's great ?multi-taskers?! We can cook, clean, plan, design and implement while holding the baby on one hip - so to speak! Right and left hemispheres dart back and forth evoking the creativity and artistry of the right half with the practical, strategic capability of the left!

It has taken years for us to recognize and openly promote the power we possess! It has taken us - women - saying so to the world and not letting any challenge stand in our way.

It is said that the ancient male feared the female because we were perceived as having the ability to create life - give birth. Without the modern knowledge of the procreative process - they variously considered us ?mystical? or ?magical? or in the least- ?shamans? who were to be both held in awe and feared!

I could really go on one of my ?famous? rants with all this, but that's not the point here!

The point is that the world, its institutions - religious or otherwise - are not going to do it for us! They're simply not!

We have to come together and do it for ourselves. Give ourselves and our ?sisters? permission to be empowered.

It's within us! It's not something that comes to us from ?outside? in one magical moment! It's there for the ?taking? - the ?having?!

But in many ways, we've bought into the lie that we are second class citizens - males without a certain part of their anatomy (oh that theory goes way back!).

We've kept quiet in the lofts of great institutions that have taken Paul's admonition to ?remain silent? literally - for all time.

We've knelt at the altar of ?a little is better than nothing? in the corporate marketplace as we struggled to climb to our rightful place given equal skills and equal abilities.

Having said all that, let me tell you that ?angry women? won't bring change about! Radical feminists are not the answer. The Friedan's have passed from the scene and the Steinem's are fading away. Their influence may have been appropriate for the day; but no more!

In more and more places, I find males who respect us for what we bring to the table of life - not our femininity, but our intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, skill and ability!

The dawn rises! Our day has come! Let us not waste what has been won and let us not dally until the task is done!

Where women gather . . . . there is power!

Bring your powerful influence to the day!