@TheSunGazette
visalia – In society’s current struggle for equality, there is a time for celebration. For the Visalia chapter of ACT for Women and Girls, it’s a celebration for Women’s Equality Day on Thursday, Aug. 24 at the Cellar Door, 101 W, Main St. in Visalia, with their second annual Wine, Women, Equality.
“These events are always a lot of work but it is exciting to see it all come together,” said ACT’s executive director Erin Garner-Ford.
This event will honor and celebrate some of the most outstanding women leaders including: Community Leader of the Year, Suzy Ward; Volunteer of the Year, Ashley Machado-Flores; Equality Champion, Dr. Kathryn Hall; ACTivist Leader, Lucia Vazquez; and Emerging Leader, Erica Diaz-Rodriguez. Also, at the event the work of ACT to uplift the leadership of women and girls on social justice will be highlighted.
Ford says, that this will be the largest group of ladies that the organization has honored since their ten year anniversary.
At the event, there will be wine tasting, appetizers, live music and entertainment. This event will also be a fundraiser to help support ACT in their mission. That mission is to help create a movement of women of all ages to be engaged in leadership opportunities and advocates of change.
Tickets are $25 for appetizers; $35 for appetizers and wine; $25 for youth sponsorship. Tickets can be purchased at this direct link: bit.ly/ACTwed17.
All proceeds from the event will go directly to the ACT’s program and the youth that they serve through their four programs.
Female Leadership Academy, is an eight month leadership development program for women ranging from 15-25 years of age in Visalia to expand their leadership potential. All while gaining knowledge of women’s issues and intersectional feminism.
Student Health Advocates for Peer Empowerment, is for males and females ages 13-20 in rural Woodlake. This program helps builds leadership skills through a focus on health access, race and economic intersections of reproductive justice.
Teen Success, Inc., is a weekly program held within Tulare County for pregnant and parenting young moms in order to help them expand their support group.
ACTion Teams, are short-term projects implemented to respond to local needs in order to engage and activate youth while enrollment for the other programs are closed. This will last from six weeks to six months and will broaden the programs base throughout the year.
“The goal is to raise enough money so [the programs] can travel throughout Tulare County,” said Garner-Ford.
