COMMversations Forum to Celebrate the Past, Present, and Future of Women’s Leadership

Longmeadow, MA— With a deep respect for Global Diversity Awareness Month and National Women’s Small Business Month, COMMversations, a Bay Path student-directed event in partnership with community collaborators, will honor and recognize the voices of historic women of the past, pacesetters of the present, and those who are working in ‘brave’ spaces to define a future for all.

Featured speakers include Bay Path’s President Carol Leary and Freedom Rider Jean Denton Thompson. The event will feature highlights from the new Women's History Trail in Springfield, MA as well as key profiles from the book, "The Power of Women" by The Republican’s Wayne Phaneuf and Joe Carvalho. Several women featured in the book will be in attendance at the event.

 “Together, we will be inspired by the voices of the past as we celebrate the legacy stories of today and affirm women who step into ‘brave spaces’ to make needed changes for success in the future,” stated Janine Fondon, Bay Path’s Chair of Undergraduate Communications and founder of the Women of Western Massachusetts Heritage Trail. “We are on various paths to advance women in our region, state and country and we need to support the relevant, inclusive work that will make a difference to women, our communities -- present and future.” 

COMMversations is scheduled for Friday, October 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and will take place at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History, 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA. This free event, designed for students, community members, business leaders, and professional organizations, is open to the public. For more information and to register for this event, please visit https://commversations.eventbrite.com.

Event and Women’s History Trail founder Janine Fondon is available for comment and can be reached at (413) 221-7931.

COMMversations is presented in collaboration by Bay Path University, the On the Move Forum to Advance Women, Springfield Museums, Girls Inc. of the Valley, The Republican, and the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts.