Happy International Women's Day! As you know March is the time of year when we celebrate Women's History Month - our accomplishments and triumphs; our past struggles, and our present issues, our future visions. Although the US it barely makes a blip on the radar, today, March 8th, is a day that is celebrated and recognized in many countries around the world as a true holiday. Last month we lost the voices of three amazing women: Betty Friedan, Coretta Scott King and Wendy Wasserstein; we honor their work and contribution to our history.

In March 2006, more than 40 years since Betty Friedan ignited the women's movement with her book "The Feminine Mystique," women in this country have more choices than they've ever had. We often forget that there was a time when we had no choice and were viewed as second class citizens - we were not allowed to choose who we married, have our own bank account, vote for President, live independently or earn our own living. Things that we take for granted (and, granted, things that to this day are certainly not perfect) have come to us only after years of courageous, strong and inspiring women challenged the status quo of what it meant to be a woman and the rights we were entitled to as such.

Where are we now? How do you define yourself as a woman and use the choices that you have been given? As we journey through this Women's History Month, and on to the beginning of Spring, it's a good time to evaluate what choices you have made thus far and what choices you can make right now in order to create and even better future for yourself and others. TWM offers you many ways to help navigate and experience more of this smorgasbord of life and the choices you can make in it - and we we hope that you can show your support for our work, especially during this month dedicated to women's achievement and empowerment.

Our last two events are great examples of what TWM can do for you - on Tuesday January 31st about twenty ladies gathered for a private Chinese New Year Celebration at Chinatown's Grand Harmony Palace - we had a beautiful festive atmosphere and traditional Chinese foods like "long life" noodles, garlic chicken on the bone, and lotus cakes to ring in the new Lunar year with good luck and good fortune. We also got some great tips from Feng Shui consultants Julie Anna Alvarez and Jenny Parra to help us understand how our environment impacts different areas of our life and ways to maximize the blessings and harmony that certain adjustments can bring to it. Good food, good company and good information added up to a great time that was had by all....See below article for details and a photo of the event.

Our February event, My Life as a Black Woman: Dinner & Discussion held at Amy Ruth's Restaurant in Harlem on Thursday, February 16th was a huge success! Sponsored in part by Stay Strong Foundation and Red Tent Women's Project, we were so fortunate and honored to have the charismatic and inspiring Terrie M. Williams as our moderator, as well as have panelists Saundra Heath, Yolanda Johnson-Peterkin, Tonya Miller and Tanya Wood share their stories.

After a delicious soul food meal enjoyed by over 40 attendees, we were treated to a powerful and moving performance by Madeline McCray, who opened the event with a her poignant portrayal of Bessie Coleman, the first African-American female pilot in the world. After hearing from the panelists, Terrie opened the floor to attendees and asked each person to share their passions, joy and struggles. That tone set the stage for the evening, allowing for a profoundly honest and candid discussion of race, relations between white and black women,incarceration, bi-racial women's issues, as well other universal themes that we all share as women - one of which was the realization that we all feel inadequate at times and that we have all experienced pain and suffering in our lives. The conversation was just the tip of the iceberg, but it really opened up everyone and allowed connections to be made in deeper ways that one might expect in such a short gathering among diverse women meeting for the first time. We will certainly continue the discussion so stay tuned for future gatherings on this topic. Many thanks to Terrie Williams, Madeline McCray, and to all of the sponsors, panelists and everyone who attended for making this event a truly special one! See below for article.

These two events alone show what TWM has to offer - a comfortable, congenial, atmosphere for women of various backgrounds to come together to learn from and be inspired by each other; to take what they get back and incorporate it into their own lives, enriching their world an the world around them. Won't you please take this time to support our work educating, inspiring and motivating women to create the best life they can? Please join The Women's Mosaic today by visiting our Membership Page, or simply make a donation in any amount via the link at the bottom of this page. There are many costs associated with putting the events together and to be able to offer them at affordable, inclusive admission fees. We urgently need your financial support to continue doing what we are doing and eventually grow to offer you even more. Separate Membership Drive emails will be sent shortly as well, but you can also see below article for more information or simply use the Donate option at the end of this email.

Next month, just after the Spring Equinox and Solar Eclipse, we are offering our semi-annual Visioning Workshop to help you check in with yourself and see what your heart truly desires at this time and then create a tool to help manifest it! Many women have found new apartments, started new jobs, relationships or careers as a result of participating - these workshops are quite powerful and popular - last time around we sold out so be sure to sign up as soon as you decide to attend!

Also, coming up on May 6th, we will once again be having Team Women's Mosaic participate in the Revlon Run/Walk for Women's Cancers. Last year we raised a record $5000 for this cause. Please contact this year's Team Captain, Mary Simmons, for more information and register yourself via the link provided in the article below.

In other news, TWM would like to welcome our new intern, Ana Djordjevic to our organization! Look for Ana at upcoming events and perhaps hear from her on the phone over the next few months as we work on various projects. (She speaks at least four languages fluently, so pick a language and she'll chat you up!)

That's it for now....you'll hear more from us about Membership this month and we'll keep you posted on any other developments, and about an additional event we may be doing in April or May. Please be sure to check out the many Women's History Month events listed under Non-Mosaic events on our Upcoming Events page!

Women of the World Unite!

TWM's Five Year Anniversary Chinese New Year Celebration! at Grand Harmony Palace in Chinatown was a mix of fun, food and Feng Shui! Over 20 attendees enjoyed an authentic Chinese meal, mixed and mingled with other TWM ladies, and checked out images and memories of our past five years. We also heard from Feng Shui consultants Julie Ana Alvarez and Jenny Parra who were on hand to give us tips on how to start the New Year off right! Also in attendance were five ladies pictured above who were also at our very first meeting, a Chinese New Year celebration in January 2001!

On Thursday, February 16th after a delicious soul food meal at Amy Ruth's Restaurant in Harlem, we heard from a diverse panel of women from various backgrounds about what it is like to be a woman of African decent. In the spirit of our past series My Life as a Muslim Woman and Corsets & Corn: My Life as a Woman in 1628, over 40 women joined TWM during Black History Month for an open, frank and revealing discussion about how race has affected these women in their personal and professional lives, as well as a candid, honest discussion of our personal passions, joys and struggles which showed that we are more alike than we think we are.

It was an intense, emotionally charged yet enjoyable and entertaining mix of women connecting on many levels in positive and encouraging ways. Thanks to the heartfelt and humorous candor of our moderator, PR guru, author and motivational speaker Terrie M. Williams, as well as a moving performance byMadeline McCray with her portrayal of Bessie Coleman, the world's first African- American female pilot, the evening was truly special. We would also like to thank sponsors Stay Strong Foundation and Red Tent Women's Project, as well as panelists Saundra Heath, Yolanda Johnson- Peterkin, Tonya Miller, and Tanya Wood for making this an unforgettable, powerful evening for all who were there!

Please note: Due to the inability to secure enough fiscal sponsorship for this event, there were no proceeds to give to the organization we selected, In This Together, a grass-roots New Orleans based HIV/AIDS organization that played a large role in serving many needs of African-American women and children post-Katrina. We did however send $50 as a symbolic gesture of support. Please consider donating to TWM now to help us with the shortfall on this event.

One of the best ways to show your appreciation for what we are doing is to support The Women's Mosaic by becoming a member! We want to expand and grow our organization to become a powerful voice for women, but we cannot do so without your help.

Besides providing general financial support for the organization, your membership allows us to garner funds from other sources such as foundation and corporations; and gives you benefits and perks like reduced admission to our events, discounts on various products and services, as well as other opportunities - the more members we have the more benefits we can offer. The bottom line is that if you enjoy what we are doing, please show your support!

There are lots of exciting things we'd like to do in 2006, but cannot do so without your help! The more members we have, the more we can do for you!

Please join at the highest level possible today! A basic Mosaic Membership is only $25 ....

* Want to share your culture or other passion? Plan a TWM event!

* Volunteer for TWM! We've got many ways for to you to help out depending on the skill set you have or want to develop, and the time you can give.

*Spread the word about TWM! Forward this email newlsetter on to friends so they can sign up and become part of our dynamic and diverse community!

*Become a Member of TWM! Support an organization that enriches your life and the lives of others! The more members we have, the more we can do for you as well as be a force for women both here and abroad.

*Donate to TWM! Besides actual cash donations, we need in-kind donations of supplies, copying, postage and other items to help us cut down on costs. (We are in current need of a DIGITAL CAMERA - so if you got a shiny new one for the holidays and not sure what to do with your old one - we can most certainly use it!) We are also in need of donated OFFICE SPACE.

If interested in any of the above contact us directly, or if you just wanted to be a general volunteer you can check off the "Volunteer" category box through the Update Profile/Email Address link at the bottom of this page. For information on internshops we have available please click below.