By Eliza PARTIKA

The Alex Theatre’s historic courtyard buzzed with conversation on Sept. 25 as businesswomen from all corners of the community gathered to network and celebrate Glendale’s inaugural Women’s Equality Day event.

The night began with a lively cocktail hour where refreshments and coffee brewed by local coffee favorite Love You Latte was served to participants alongside an elaborate charcuterie display.

The City of Glendale’s student commissioner and Clark Magnet High School student Natalie Hovhannisyan opened the event with remarks on a project she worked on with Mayor Elen Asatryan and the Glendale Commission on the Status of Women. The Commission on the Status of Women captures the voices of women in Glendale through answers to questions about the women who inspire them, offering a glimpse into how youth view the impact of women and girls on their lives.

“As I look out to all of you, I see the embodiment of these qualities: strength, kindness, beauty, intelligence and so much more,” Hovhannisyan said.

Attendees listened to two panel discussions. The first featured women speaking on the challenges they face fighting and overcoming “steel ceilings” in the workplace. Among the things shared by these panelists wer the best ways to begin the certification process for women-owned businesses. contracting, procurement, and

The second panel delved into the results of the latest survey from the City of Glendale Commission for the Status of Women, and policy insights drawn from the Commission’s findings. Some of the most shocking statistics from the Commission’s survey revealed how far Glendale still needs to go to make a truly equal space for working women, said moderator City Clerk Susie Abajian. Fourteen percent of Glendale women are at the poverty level and over half work service jobs, according to the report. But, pointed out panelist Dr. Sophia Armen, administrative anaylist for Glendale’s City Clerk’s Office and a staff member of the Commission, the presence of women in places where decisions are made and resources are created is vital to the survival of a community. In Glendale currently, women in management positions grew from 33% to 45% from 2014 to 2021, the most recent report.

“Women’s leadership doesn’t just open doors for one person when you are a first, it opens doors for entire communities and for resources and support that otherwise, quite literally, would not have been there,” she said.

The event concluded with live music, refreshments and networking opportunities with city government and state officials, business leaders and like-minded professionals. Resource tables were also available for attendees to collect information on helpful programs and services from various organizations and city departments.

Laura Galvan of the Glendale Youth Alliance, a career development organization for Glendale teens, said she said she is excited for more opportunities like this to be available for youth in the future.

“I’m intrigued that we’re having events like this now. I think it’s for the betterment of the city. I’m interested to know what’s out there and so are the youth I work with at the Alliance,” said Galvan.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger emphasized what Glendale is already doing to ensure women and girls have a voice in their community.

“Often when youth are invited to the table they are told what they’re supposed to be doing and thinking. In Glendale, we do things a little bit differently. We not only invite them to the table, we make sure their voice is as loud as any. The policies that we [write] make a huge difference in how that shift happens for women and girls in this community.”