Also this issue:

Go Ask Alice
One woman's trip through the looking glass as a kids' holiday party attraction.
-Laura Lewis

InFusion
-Howard Altman

Icepack
-A.D. Amorosi

December 19-25, 2002

naked city

Words to Give By

A last-minute gift option with a message.

by Debra Auspitz

The Forum of Executive Women (FOEW) celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, and, to commemorate the occasion, developed a unique gift to capture its vision. "Words of Wisdom" is a decorated box containing a set of cards, each one bearing a quote from a member of FOEW. (Once open only to female business executives, the group now includes women with spheres of influence in the boardroom and beyond, including the heads of nonprofits and full-time philanthropists.)

FOEW boardmember Susan Jaffe spearheaded the committee to create Words of Wisdom. Jaffe sent the word out to FOEW's members and sorted through the replies. "It couldn't be a quote from someone else," she says. "They had to be [about] what you've learned, something original about your life. Here is a group of almost 300 very successful, respected women in a variety of fields, and we wanted to hear what their words of wisdom were, what they would say in 60 words or less to the entire community if they had the opportunity." The Words of Wisdom boxes were designed by Moore College of Art & Design student Eliza Chan (Moore president Happy Fernandez is a member of FOEW).

Jaffe says she wanted a balanced collection of quotes. "We didn't want too many on balancing your life, we didn't want too many on mentoring," she says.

What she got is certainly diverse. Some are short and sweet: "Never turn down anything that hasn't been offered to you," offers Donna Brennan. Some are more political: "There are so many remarkable women in each of our lives. Yet we have not managed to earn anything near full equality," Melissa Weiler Gerber says. Many are personal and moving, like Charisse R. Lillie's contribution: "I experienced many firsts," she writes. "First Œcolored' child on Houston public television, first ŒNegro' child violinist with Houston's Youth Symphony Orchestra, first ŒBlack' female Philadelphia City Solicitor, first ŒAfrican American' chairman of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank board. But what good are these firsts if I am the last? I must mentor others to become second, third to truly measure my success."

Words of Wisdom boxes are $15 and are available by calling 215-628-9944.