WOMEN RISING! – A National Gathering to Inspire Personal and Societal Transformation

CHARLESTON, SC – January 21, 2019 – Women from around the country will gather in historic Charleston, South Carolina from February 7 – 9, 2019 for WOMEN RISING! – a unique event focused on cultivating personal and societal transformation. The two and a half day program will bring together renown female leaders from business, the arts and non-profits to guide discussions and offer insight on topics ranging from leading with integrity to personal empowerment to hope, healing and transformation. While the event was designed by women with a focus on women – it is open to anyone interested in learning how to live and lead with wisdom, power and a deeper understanding of our purpose in this world.

Who:  The Sophia Institute, presents WOMEN RISING! a forum for exploration, discovery, and transformation with women leaders who model authenticity and are living lives of powerful purpose.  The Sophia Institute is a non-profit center of learning based in Charleston, South Carolina offering core programs for personal transformation and driving key social transformation initiatives for a more just, sustainable and flourishing world.

“We are living in a profound moment in human history. More and more women are awakening to what they are called to and using their gifts, talents and capacities to work together to create a more just and conscious world,” said Carolyn Rivers, founder and director of The Sophia Institute. “WOMEN RISING! will be an extraordinary gathering of women empowering one another to awaken to our full potential and to deepen our partnerships with men to be effective co-creators of the future.”

What:  WOMEN RISING! will feature internationally recognized women leaders guiding “big conversations” around topics of empowerment, leadership, and authenticity for developing new pathways to contribute to a better world. Kicking off the conversation will be the keynote address by Pat Mitchell, former CEO of PBS, co-curator of TEDWomen and chair of the Sundance Institute and Women’s Media boards.  At every step of her career, Mitchell has broken new ground for women and strengthened her commitment to fostering a global community of women leaders.  See the full agenda and speaker topics here.

Where:  The Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting Street, Charleston SC. 

When:  From Thursday, February 7 to  Saturday, February 9, 2019 the event schedule includes:

• Welcome reception Thursday, Feb 7 (6:30 pm – 9:00 pm) featuring Virginia Schenck’s uplifting vocal talents with a live band for an evening of music, dancing, mingling, hors d’oeuvres and libations Presented by Local Choice Spirits. 
• Explore Charleston Friday, Feb 8 (10:00 am – 12:00 pm) with a garden and architectural tour led by landscape designer Linda Greenberg and shopping on historic King Street at IBU, featuring handmade textiles from women’s cooperatives around the world and Vieuxtemps a timeless gift boutique.
• Big Conversations Friday, Feb 8 (1:00 pm – 6:30 pm) and Saturday Feb 9 (9:30 am – 6:00 pm) where transformative topics will be explored such as:
  • “Healing the Soul of America” – Marianne Williamson
  • “Embodying Yin and Yang to live with Authenticity” – Crystal Andrus Morissette
  • “Healing Humanity – A Call to Action” – Michele Ozumba
  • “Thriving Women, Thriving World: Dialogue to Inspired Action” – Diana Whitney
  • “Leading with integrity in a changing world” – Ana Oliveira
  • For the full list of topics and speakers, check here

Why:  We are seeing a dramatic rise of women being more willing to take a stand and assume leadership roles. The #MeToo movement and record number of women in the U.S. congress are just two of many examples. With this rise, there’s an opportunity for a new balance to take hold that expands beyond stereotypical relationships and roles for women and men. Qualities that have traditionally been described as feminine – operating from the heart, working in a spirit of collaboration, listening to one’s intuition, nurturing – are qualities needed now more than ever – because these are the qualities that can change the world.

Participants in this inaugural event will benefit from:

• Inspirational and authentic insight on key topics integral to self transformation.
• Connections with other like-minded individuals.
• Opportunities for experiencing exclusive behind-the-scenes Charleston experiences.
• Practices and pathways to co-create a better world.

How:  Cost to attend the event ranges from $75 to $350 – and scholarships are available. See the registration page for details.

About The Sophia Institute

For 17 years, The Sophia Institute has operated as a center for learning, offering innovative programs for personal and societal transformation. The center’s three areas of focus are: Transformative Core Work, which includes events like WOMEN RISING! as well as retreats, lectures, classes, and programs that cultivate wisdom, mindfulness, and well-being; the Initiative for Social Justice Racial Equity to promote systemic changes in social justice and racial equity; and the Initiative for Environmental Justice and Spiritual Ecology for reclaiming environmental integrity. The Sophia Institute’s Social Justice Racial Equity Collaborative (SJREC) was the catalyst in the Resolution for the Apology for Slavery that was passed in the Charleston City Council in June 2018, demonstrating the wide reach and impact of the Institute and its ongoing mission to enable a more, just  sustainable and flourishing world.

For more information on the work of The Sophia Institute please visit:

Website: https://thesophiainstitute.org/.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesophiainstitute

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesophiainstitute/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O467EO1NaI

Media Contact: 

Toni Sottak
[email protected]
(843) 530-4442