By Judy Carmack Bross
CBS’ Michelle Miller interviews keynote speaker, retired USAF colonel, Cady Coleman, on stage
“Women have to talk about things that are hard and tell stories that really matter. We have to tell stories about women leaders such as Chicago’s Bessie Coleman, the early American civil aviator. She was the first African-American woman and first Native American to hold a pilot license, and is the earliest known Black person to earn an international pilot’s license which she received in France in 1921 because she could not receive it in our country,” Astronaut Cady Colemen at the recent Chicago Network’s Women in the Forefront luncheon.
The annual Women in the Forefront Luncheon was held at Chicago’s Hyatt Regency Hotel
1,500 people attended The Chicago Network’s annual hallmark event
The ardent applause of 1500 guests of the Chicago Network’s Women in the Forefront Luncheon might not have matched the greeting NASA Astronaut Cady Coleman received when she emerged from six-months on the International Space Station, but the retired US Air Force Colonel and chemist wowed the room with her stories of her missions–even shots of her playing her flute in space–all the while emphasizing the important role of women leaders on the ground and in space.
Attendees look on as keynote speaker, Cady Coleman, shares personal photos of her time as a NASA astronaut
“When I was in space I looked down and not only saw how connected we all are, but that we can save one another,” Coleman said of her 1999 trip into space to place a huge telescope that “was the most dangerous launch that didn’t end in disaster.” Coleman stated that the telescope which studies black holes is still working today. In addition to her time on the Space Station Coleman flew two space shuttle missions and accumulated more than 180 days in space. She trained in both Antarctica and under water, went up with the Kelly brothers—Mark and Scott—and learned to speak Russian with her Space Station partner.
Former NASA astronaut and retired USAF colonel Cady Coleman shares her personal and professional journey with Women in the Forefront Luncheon attendees
Celebrating women trailblazers such as Coleman fits the Network’s purpose of empowering women to lead. Guests at the Hyatt Regency Hotel’s event were encouraged to connect, share stories and leave inspired to continue to break barriers. Its vision is gender equity for women of all colors, at all levels, everywhere with empathy, generosity, paying it forward, and relentlessness in righting the balance among its values.
(from right, clockwise) Francesca DeBiase, emcee, CBS Chicago’s Marie Saavedra, Sona Wang, Aarti Dhupelia and Terri Weaver look on from the speakers’ table
Emcee, CBS Chicago’s Marie Saavedra, kicked off the afternoon
The organization is comprised of Chicago’s most senior and influential women leaders at the forefront of the City’s business, professional, cultural, nonprofit and educational communities. Board Chair Deb Boyda told the audience which represented women of different ages, ethnicities and careers: “Tenacity, bravery and courage are necessary when empowering women to lead and achieve their dreams.”
Guests received a copy of Coleman’s recent book Sharing Space which describes her challenges as the only woman member of the six-person Space Station crew including getting a space suit to fit her size. “All of us had left something behind when we went up together, families for sure. The mission was what kept us together and in space we had to learn to work around the table with one another, how to make that work.”
Barbra Bukovac connects with Julie Scott and other attendees during the pre-luncheon reception
Moderator Michelle Miller, co-host of CBS Saturday Morning and author of the New York Times bestseller “Belonging: A Daughter’s Search for Identity Through Loss and Love” interviewed Coleman. Evanston native Marie Saavedra, a member of the CBS News Chicago team, was Emcee. Julie Scott and Sidney Dillard served as Co-Chairs of the Women in the Forefront Luncheon. Maria Doughty is President and CEO of the Chicago Network.
Maria Doughty, President and CEO of the Chicago Network
For more information about The Chicago Network, visit: thechicagonetwork.org
Photo Credit: Susan Ryan Kalina Photography.
