Fall 2005 Kickoff: Challenge Yourself!
Give More. Get More. Connect.

CWIP President lisa scacco delivered a simple, albeit powerful mandate to her organization’s members at this year's Fall Kickoff celebration, hosted at the Chicago Athletic Association Thursday, September 22.

“Be bold,” she told everyone in attendance, “and challenge CWIP to be bold as well.”

This request resonated with her attentive audience and established CWIP's intent for the entire year–which is to push boundaries and expand comfort zones. More than anything else, this event helped to empower and motivate CWIP members. It allowed them to preview the new season of programming and affirm their goals for personal and professional development.

In keeping with this trend, scacco urged CWIP members to be more active, explaining the benefits of serving on committees and networking with fellow CWIPers.

“If you give more, you can get much more,” scacco asserted. “Give more not just to CWIP but to your own career.”

scacco's motivating speech was followed by a keynote address from longtime Smithsonian contributor and Associate Editor Beth Py-Lieberman. This accomplished journalist regaled the audience with a series of lively anecdotes concerning things she had discovered while working on previous articles. She was also candid about the struggles women face in the publishing industry, admitting that men still hold most positions of power. Despite that, however, Py-Lieberman still implored CWIP members to strive for excellence in their respective fields.

“What can you say or do to learn something from someone more senior in your office?” she asked. “Make yourself able to engage them.”

Py-Lieberman was also forthcoming with tips on how to gain publication in Smithsonian. “To get in, you need to write and write and write,” she said. She also urged women to avoid positions that might leave them typecast. “Resist clerical jobs if you’re a woman,” she warned, “I came in as an editorial typist, and that defined me as a girl.”

Py-Lieberman then answered questions from the audience, wrapping up her appearance by sharing her varied knowledge and encouraging everyone to challenge themselves and anyone who gets in their way. She ended with an anecdote about an assignment involving the Crayola crayon factory. She had been sent there to write a piece on the history of crayons, and Crayola reps tried to deny her access to the manufacturing facility. When they tried to convince her that the Crayola children's museum contained the information she needed, Lieberman put her foot down and told them, “Well, I don’t have to do this story if you're not going to let me into the factory.”

Py-Lieberman’s tenacity set the perfect example for CWIP members this season. Members should use her focus and motivation as a source of inspiration, and let it compel them to achieve their own success as they take advantage of CWIP’s multitude of programming and resources.

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