Did Madeleine Albright Really Say That?

Yes, it's another Friday that I'm "working" again. But today was one of those days when I scrunch my eyes up and say to myself - is this really my JOB? I get paid to do things like this? Don't hate me when I say - I have the best job in the WORLD. Today was the "Girls Leadership Network Summit," organized by a young lady who was part of the youth leadership program that I am so lucky to be the director. Hanna was in last year's class and was selected to participate in a national program in D.C. - put on by AnnPower, a philanthropic arm of the Ann Taylor company. Hanna was given the opportunity to give wings to her vision of leadership networking and mentoring connections for high school girls - and AnnPower provided a grant for an amazing event today.

 Hanna pulled together a planning committee and asked me to be on board to help. Aside from borrowing tablecloths from friends, I really didn't do very much to put this event together - Hanna had the contacts to organize an amazing event. Did I mention that Hanna is a high school senior? There were 180 people registered for this event here in Tallahassee - around 120 of those are high school girls, the rest are college or professional women who are interested in mentoring high school girls.

Speakers included the Secretary of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Wansley Walters, and Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente. If you've got any doubts as to whether the next generation is ready to tackle the tough issues that we're struggling with - rest assured that there are young people who are thoughtful, smart, creative and ready to do good in the world.

Secretary Walters said that there's a quote that she loves from Madeleine Albright. I think Madeleine Albright is pretty cool - she was the first female Secretary of State - thank you President Clinton - and (get this) was UNANIMOUSLY confirmed by the Senate. Yes, the US Senate. How cool is that? Granted, it was before the heinous partisanship that has become the sticky booger that our current politicians cannot seem to shake, but that's pretty cool.

So the quote that totally blew me away was this: “There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women."

And according to the amazing and all powerful Oz-like internet - it was, indeed, said at a Keynote speech that Albright gave at a Celebrating Inspiration luncheon with the WNBA's All-Decade Team in 2006.

I do like that quote. And if I believed in hell, I would tend to agree. So with that, I'll ask - if you're a woman, have you done what you can to empower another woman? If you haven't, and you don't know how - let me know. I can definitely help YOU make a connection so that you know how to make a positive difference in a woman's life. That "woman" might even be in 9th grade, but your influence could make a huge impact. I don't like to think of women, or anyone for that matter, in hell - especially a "special place" in hell.