Connecting, Learning, and Leading: Area C Conference 2025 Recap

Parliamentarian Cathy Stewart and 1st VP Lora Adler represented our club at the Area C Conference in Long Beach on October 25, 2025. This engaging all-day event featured three inspiring speakers, vendors, raffle prizes, a costume contest, a live auction, and a delicious lunch, providing an excellent opportunity for networking and learning.

The conference opened with June Conoley, President of California State University, Long Beach, who spoke passionately about the university’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her insights highlighted the importance of fostering supportive environments where every student can thrive.

Next, attendees were inspired by Colleen Janssen, winner of the 2025 General Federation of Women’s Clubs Jane Cunningham Croly Award. Ms. Janssen shared her impactful article Here Comes the Bride, which focuses on the organization Unchained at Last, dedicated to ending child marriage in the United States. Her presentation shed light on a critical issue affecting children across the nation and underscored the power of advocacy in creating meaningful change.

The final speaker, Dawn Mendelson, founder of ArtWorks LBC, Art in the Community, shared her vision for using art to foster community engagement. Through her workshops in Long Beach, Ms. Mendelson brings people together to create collaborative art projects, many of which now enrich public spaces throughout the city, leaving a lasting impact on the community.

Hundreds of Women’s Club members attended the conference, making it a vibrant gathering where members could connect, share ideas, and build lasting friendships with others from across the region. It was a day full of inspiration, learning, and camaraderie—truly a celebration of the mission and impact of Women’s Clubs everywhere.