Where in the World is Women Employed?
It’s hard not to love this time of year. The cozy feels, the warm smells, the many gatherings of family and friends. It’s the perfect invitation to begin winding down and looking back over the year’s accomplishments. But before we head into a season of thanks and giving, we wanted to take a second to share some of what WE is thankful for.
We’re thankful for the intentional work of our coalition partners who help move our mission forward. We’re thankful for the opportunity to pause, reflect, and reconnect alongside other Chicagoland organizational leaders and changemakers. We’re thankful for convening with our partners in Nashville, TN for a two-day conference on higher education and workforce systems. And we’re thankful for your support each time we take our advocacy and activism from behind our desks and out into the world.
To learn more about what we are thankful for, continue reading this month’s issue of Where in the World is Women Employed.
When We Fight We Win: A Virtual Town Hall for Funding the Future of Care in Illinois
Our coalition partner, Care Can’t Wait, held a virtual town hall on Thursday, October 30th. Moderated by WE’s Associate Director of Coalitions, Starr De Los Santos, attendees heard from Greg Kelley of SEIU HCIIMK, Amber Smock of Access Living, the Workers Center for Racial Justice, state elected officials, and others on the front lines of care on how we can ensure lawmakers prioritize public dollars for affordable, accessible care across the lifespan, especially support for older adults, disabled people, and family caregivers; and for good jobs in the care workforce.
This event also coincided with the release of a new report, In Illinois, Care Can’t Wait: Prioritizing Our Public Dollars for Illinois’ Families to Live, Age, and Work with Dignity. The report documents decades of underinvestment in Illinois’ care infrastructure, the impact of recent federal cuts, and the need for progressive revenue solutions alongside policy solutions for prioritizing aging and disability, paid family and medical leave, and child care and early learning, and good union jobs in the care sector.
Adult Education Department CBO Gathering at Truman College
On Wednesday, November 5th, WE’s Programs and Research Coordinator, Efrata Sasahulih, attended a gathering of community-based organizations, hosted by the Adult Education Department at Truman College. At this event, attendees learned about the department’s programs and services, shared opportunities to collaborate, and discussed ways to address potential challenges in the adult education and workforce development ecosystem. They also learned about each organizations’ services and strategized ways to share resources and collaborate to better serve their communities.
Chicago Foundation for Women Fall 2025 Grantee Convening
WE’s Chief of Staff, Mary Kay Devine, attended the Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW) Fall 2025 Grantee Convening on Thursday, November 6th.
In light of the ongoing challenges and increasing demands on our communities, CFW created this space for grantees to pause, reflect, and reconnect. The convening was indeed a restorative moment that provided organizational leaders from across Chicagoland with time to step away from the urgency and be in community with fellow changemakers.
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Highlights included:
- Networking to catch up and build connections
- A somatic exercise to support wellness and resilience
- Small group discussions
- An open mic for sharing updates, reflections, or celebrations
And in small groups, attendees explored how nonprofit leaders can:
- Support and care for staff in times of crisis
- Provide mutual support among leaders in times of emergency
- Access and provide tools for resilience and restoration
- Find joy and celebrate small wins in hard times
Lumina FutureReady States Convening
Lumina FutureReady States held their convening in Nashville, TN from November 12–14. The convening included nearly a dozen states and national partners. Christina Warden, Vice President of Policy and Programs, represented Women Employed―who was the Illinois lead―along with our national partners, National Skills Coalition (NSC).
Chamber of Mothers Chicago: Advocacy 101
The Chicago Chapter of Chamber of Mothers hosted their Advocacy 101 event on Thursday, November 13th. WE’s Director of Advocacy and Policy, Sarah Labadie, joined Kesha Harris from Illinois Families for Early Intervention and Laura Faver Dias, State Representative from the 62nd District, for a discussion on demystifying the legislative process and equipping moms and caregivers with the tools to advocate for policies that matter.
Latino Policy Forum Allies Breakfast
WE’s Associate Director of Coalitions, Starr De Los Santos, attended the Latino Policy Forum Allies Breakfast on Monday, November 17th. The event brought together communities whose civil rights are under attack by the federal administration, and was hosted by the Illinois Latino Agenda and Two-Thirds United.
