Girls Run the World!

You’ve heard the song?  Maya played it for me in the car one day.  As I listened to Beyoncé sing it, I didn’t think much of it…until I attended a conference last week called The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing in Houston.  Beyoncé gives a shout out to Houston in her lyrics which I found even more curious??  As for the event, I’ve attended similar conferences but this one was unique.  There were upwards of 15,000 women (students and professionals) of all ages who spanned all areas of STEM (science, math, engineering and technology).  These women included CEOs, CIOs, military, software engineers, web developers, cyber security specialists, astronauts, educators, heads of non-profits…the list goes on and on.  I was completely blown away.  These women were UBER-brilliant and already taking the world by storm!  Some of their stories were unforgettable.  I felt so privileged to be surrounded by so many exceptional innovators.  The conference is dedicated to Grace Hopper who was a pioneer in programming languages and inventor of the COBOL compiler.  Women like her have shaped our world and made it possible for our sisters, daughters and mothers to believe they too can revolutionize they way we live and function everyday.  I was inspired by each presenter who shared their own personal story.  I was moved and captivated by their achievements and successes in all different areas.  I There were a multitude of seminars with topics covering every STEM area imaginable.  The ones that most resonated for me were public speaking for techies, women in academia, diversity and inclusion in tech fields, the power of data analytics, technology for non-profits and of course the keynote speakers.  The speeches were unforgettable.  I most recall the words of Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM who shared a touching story about her mother who was her inspiration and the reason behind her incredible success.  When it was all over, it was bittersweet for me.  I was anxious to get home to see my daughter and share my experiences, but I was sad to leave all the comradery and sisterhood that was felt throughout.  We all connected in a very special and profound way.  Each time I hear Beyoncé sing ‘Girls run the world!’ I just have to smile.  I believe one day we just might.