PANDEMIC. WITH RECORD-BREAKING UNEMPLOYMENT FOR SOME AND BALANCING WORK AND HOME LIFE FOR OTHERS. THE LAST YEAR IS LEFT A LOT OF WOMEN LOOKING FOR WAYS TO REINVENT THEMSELVES TO BE READY FOR OPPORTUNITIES ONCE THE PANDEMIC SUBSIDES. THIS SUMMIT WAS BIRTHED FROM THE DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF WOMEN. WE SAW DURING THIS PANDEMIC WHO WERE OUT OF WORK WAGE LOSS AND WE HAVE SO MANY WOMEN WHO ARE AHEAD OF HOUSEHOLD. AND SO THE PASTOR CAME UP WITH THE IDEA AS TO HOW WE CAN ENCOURAGE AND EMPOWER WOMEN TO POSSIBLY REIMAGINE THEMSELVES TO MOVE FORWARD DURING THIS TIME SEVERAL BARRIER-BREAKING WOMEN MADE UP THIS PANEL AT BIRMINGHAM’S FIRST MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH SATURDAY FOR THEIR FIRST EVER WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT THE GOAL TO ENCOURAGE WOMEN WHO MAY WANT TO START BUSINESSES OR EVEN SWITCH CAREERS. YOU STUDY YOUR CRAFT. YOU NEVER LET ANYONE OUT WORK YOU THEY INCLUDED JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONER. LASHUNDA SCALES AND JUDGE MARIA FORTUNE ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR EDUCATION ALL WE HAVE IN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY IS OUR REPUTATION AND YOUR REPUTATION WILL SUCCEED YOU FAR BEFORE WHEN YOU LIKE. SHE SAID WHEN YOU WALK OUT THE ROOM IF YOU’VE TREATED OTHERS WITH RESPECT AND YOU’VE CARRIED YOURSELF WITH RESPECT AND YOU’RE HONEST PEOPLE REMEMBER THAT THEY SHARED THEIR OWN PERSONAL CAREER OBSTACLES AND TIPS. FINDING MENTORS AND NURTURING BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS. SOMEONE SOMEWHERE A WOMAN IS WAITING ON YOU TO SAY. YES SO THAT SHE CAN WALK IN HER PURPOSE MODERATOR PAULETTE JOHNSON KNOWS FIRST HAND THERE CAN BE MANY BUMPS AND CURVES ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS. I AM 65 YEARS OLD. AND WHEN I WAS IN COLORADO AND WORKING AND I WORKED FOR NUMEROUS INSURANCE COMPANIES, I’VE BEEN IN INSURANCE ALL MY LIFE AND ONCE I LOST MY JOB SOMETIMES FIRING. CAN BE A BLESSING IN DISGUISE AND I LOST MY JOB AND I FOUND THIS POSITION THAT MOVED ME TO BISMARCK NORTH DAKOTA OF ALL PLACES, BUT IT WAS JUST THE JOURNEY TO G ME TO BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA. AND SO NOW I RUN M OWN DIVISION AND DEPARTMENT AT BRANCH FOR MY COMPANY, AND I’M NOT THINKING ABOUT RETIRING DON’T BE AFRAID TO FAIL BECAUS IT’S NOT A MISTAKE IF YOU LEARN FROM IT. EVERY FAILURE IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCES GIVING WOMEN THE POWER TO CONQUER THE