Speakers at SheMatters forum offer practical strategies to 'bloom' through adversity and advance careers
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Summary
Commissioner Cherise Irby, attorney Jessica M. Wani and consultant Crystal Blackwell presented resilience techniques and a staged approach to career development, advising attendees on practical steps from mentorship and networking to self‑care and goal setting.
At the Phoenix Women’s Commission SheMatters Equity Forum, multiple presenters offered practical frameworks for resilience and career advancement aimed at women throughout different career stages.
“Be fierce… be fabulous… be vibrant… be healthy,” Commissioner Cherise Irby told attendees as she led a session titled “How to bloom in the face of adversity.” Irby outlined a set of five practices — phrased as the “five Bs” — encouraging audience members to claim power, set boundaries and protect their mental and physical health.
Family law attorney Jessica M. Wani reinforced that resilience is personal and practical. Wani urged attendees to stand in their truth, use feedback as a growth tool and do “the hard stuff when nobody’s watching,” advice she said she applies in both legal practice and life transitions.
Crystal Blackwell, a leadership and DEI consultant, presented data and an actionable career framework organized around three stages she labeled with example personas: Linda (early‑career), Sarah (mid‑career) and Maria (senior career). Blackwell cited a McKinsey report when summarizing recent workplace trends: “while women constitute 48% of entry level workforce, only 26% of women go to C‑suite,” she said, and recommended mentorship, measurable goal‑setting, networking and consistent self‑care across stages.
Speakers emphasized concrete practices attendees could adopt immediately: journal for self‑awareness, schedule mentorship check‑ins, build measurable goals with deadlines, practice mindfulness and exercise for cognitive and emotional resilience. Across presentations the guidance combined personal self‑care with strategic career moves, and many speakers framed self‑care and boundaries as essential to long‑term professional success rather than optional comfort.
Presenters also encouraged attendees to expand networks, pursue pitch opportunities, and seek investors — themes that echoed other forum remarks on entrepreneurship and city programs.