Post-Conference Update

Every year at the Women’s Leadership Conference we have the privilege of hearing from dynamic, inspirational women (and men) who are changing lives locally, nationally and abroad. But what happens after the conference? If you aren’t following our speakers on Facebook, Twitter or through their websites, you may be missing some of the amazing work they are doing. Here is an update on Somaly Mam and the Tuohys from our 2010 Community Matters lineup.

Recently, the Siem Reap Shelter in Cambodia, funded through the Somaly Mam Foundation, received special accolades from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. On June 27, 2011 a special ceremony was held at the State Department to commemorate the release of the 11^th annual Trafficking in Persons report. Secretary Clinton shared a story with the audience about her trip to Cambodia; below is an excerpt from her story.

“Last year, I visited in Cambodia a place of healing and support, a shelter for survivors. I met with dozens of girls, most of them very young, who had been sexually exploited and abused. They had been given refuge at the shelter and they were learning valuable skills to help them reenter society. These girls wanted the same thing that every child wants – the opportunity to live, to learn, a safe place, people who cared about them…And there was one little girl who had the biggest grin on her face, and then when I looked into that face, I saw that one of her eyes was badly disfigured. She had glasses on. And I asked one of the women running the shelters, I said, “What happened to her?” And she said, “Well, when she was sold into a brothel, she was even younger than she is now, and she basically fought back to protect herself against what was expected. So the brothel owner stabbed her in the eye with a large nail.” And there was this child whose spirit did not look as though it had been broken, who was determined to interact with people, but whose life had only been saved because of a concerted effort to rescue girls like her from the slavery they were experiencing.”

To get involved with the work of the Somaly Mam Foundation- click here.

As a side note, Bay Path College students were so inspired by Somaly Mam’s story they started a Not for Sale Chapter to raise awareness of human trafficking around the world. To learn more about the work of Not for Sale, go to http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/

If you’re looking for some new summer reading material, check out the following books co-authored by the Tuohy Family of Blind Side fame.

In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving by Leigh Anne & Sean Tuohy with Sally Jenkins

“For anyone wondering what more there might be to say about the inspiring story of The Blind Side, the answer is: plenty… They write with humor about their quirks and the joy that Michael brought to their family.”—Publishers Weekly

I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness, to the Blind Side, and Beyond by Michael Oher with Don Yeager

“I’d understand if some people out there felt like another re-telling of the Oher story was flogging a dead horse, but personally, I feel like there’s a need for Oher’s own opus.” –Yahoo Sports

To keep up with the Tuohy’s (or at least try to) and their foundation’s work, visit their website.

Has there been a Women’s Leadership Conference speaker that you found exceptionally inspiring? Follow them on Twitter or Facebook to experience conference “highs” all year long!