The Florida Villager - September 2013 September 2013 | Page 12

COMMUNITY NEWS
Empowering Women Through Dress for Success

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BY ALEXIS PRIETO

ress for Success is an international notfor-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to more than 125 cities in 15 countries. To date, Dress for Success has helped more than 700,000 women work towards self-sufficiency. Dress for Success Worldwide held it’s ninth annual Success Summit at the Epic Hotel in Miami, Florida. With the theme ”Ignite Your Passion: Refuel the Power to Empower,” this year’s Success Summit inspired Dress for Success women from around the world to pay forward that which Dress for Success has given them by becoming leaders in their local communities. What has flourished into a powerful series of seminars for the everyday woman began as the groundbreaking idea of Dress for Success Worldwide CEO, Joi Gordon, who was inspired by her own experience attending a multitude of high-level leadership conferences to create a forum for the women of Dress for Success. Today, the Success Summit has grown into an innovative international forum for women who are on their way to becoming leaders and catalysts for change in their community. “Empowering women means providing them with the resources they need to become leaders in their careers and their community,” said Joi Gordon, CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide. “This year’s Success Summit represented the continued initiative