By Phil Corso
With jobs at the forefront of the discussion, city and borough leaders gathered in Flushing recently for a conference geared toward getting more women to work.
When Ann Jawin started the Center for the Women of New York in 1987, she hoped to provide women throughout the Queens community with resources they were not receiving elsewhere, she said. More than 20 years later, the founder spoke proudly of what the group had accomplished in pursuit of its mission.
“We started this group because women’s’ work was not equally valued as men’s,” Jawin said. “We have come a long way. But we also have a long way to go.”
The conference, which was held Oct. 26 at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel in Flushing, was hosted by the master of ceremonies, former CWNY President Barbara Scheiner, and included a panel of guest speakers, moderated by TimesLedger Newspapers Editor Roz Liston. It was co-sponsored by the Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor and TimesLedger.
A job fair followed the panel discussion from noon to 3 p.m. with employers from the private and public sectors talking to job seekers.
The panel included Stephanie Stern, of former state Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza’s law office; Carol Conslato, director of public affairs for community and government relations for Consolidated Edison; Reddy-Care Physical Therapy Vice President of Operations Julie Cordero; United Federation of Teachers Director Sasha Greene; Department of Labor Program Analyst Gillian Gutierrez; Delta Air Lines Community Relations Director Cassandra Hill; and Outten & Golden Law Firm attorney Amber Trzinsky.
The panelists gave their personal accounts of success while advising job hunters on how they could promote themselves and feel empowered to enter the working world. The panelists reiterated that each of their stories might be different, but what remained constant throughout was their commitment to cultivate networks and educate themselves about potential employers.
“Anybody can do it if you do what you love,” Greene said. “If you care about what you do, you can do anything.”
In a question-and-answer session, job seekers were most interested in how they could navigate a job market where employers may value younger, less expensive faces over value and experience.
But to combat this, Jawin said older workers should save their performance reviews throughout their careers to show what they could bring to the table.
Speakers included state Assemblyman Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside), who said he has worked tirelessly in Albany to address pay equity in the Assembly. Braunstein said he has always been a staunch advocate for the Center for the Women of New York and encouraged job seekers to utilize the organization’s various resources to get a step ahead.
Reach reporter Phil Corso by e-mail at pcorso@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4573.
