Moving Women Forward: 2025 Mini-Conference

Grace Institute is proud to announce the launch of Moving Women Forward, our first-ever mini-conference on women in the workforce. On Thursday, June 5, 2025, we will convene workforce, nonprofit, corporate, and government leaders, as well as alumnae from our training programs to explore how we can best move women forward to economic self-sufficiency, independence and fulfillment in the workplace. The afternoon’s panel discussions and breakout sessions will look at the themes of social mobility and community and how they play a critical role in success for women in the workplace.

In keeping with our mission and the women we serve, Moving Women Forward will focus on the experiences of women who are unemployed and underemployed, particularly women of color and those without a four-year college degree. According to a 2024 report on women in the workforce from McKinsey & Co., “Over the past decade, women have made important gains at every level of the corporate pipeline. Yet progress is surprisingly fragile, especially for women of color, who continue to be underrepresented at every level and who view gender and race as obstacles to their advancement. In many instances, we also see that women’s outlook and day-to-day experiences are not much different, or are even worse, than they were nearly a decade ago.“

Our goal for this conference is to spark discussion, lead action, and lift up the voices and perspectives of the diverse women we serve through our training and placement programs. The conference will take place at our 40 Rector Street facility, and will draw approximately 150 attendees from workforce organizations, nonprofits, community organizations, corporations, higher education, and government.