The Truth About Women: They Show Up. 3537 Attend The Central California Women’s Conference.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking at the Central California Women’s Conference, one of the oldest and largest in California. The conference theme was “Live Your Passion” and was a day for inspiration and education. Before I spoke about my passion, social media, I had a chance to sit in on a couple of the other conference speakers. Maria Marin, a true Latina firecracker, imparted negotiating advice - “Expect more, ask for more, and get more.” Another speaker, Pamela Jett, gave helpful hints how to deal with difficult people. “Learn to hide your goat” was my favorite tip.

The keynote speaker at this annual women’s event was Helen Hunt. She captivated as she shared secret parts of herself, which included how gathering with her women friends has kept her “whole.” There was one story she told that was particularly poignant and was accentuated by her thoughtful delivery (think “As Good As It Gets” cadence). It was about her friend who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Helen (I feel I can call her that after listening to her intimate speech) recounted how she showed up at her friend’s chemo treatment, as promised, and as she walked into the room, her friend blurted out “You came.” The nurse who was busy administering the medication said without looking up, “Women always show up.”

That’s the thing. Women do show up. I imagine the 3500 plus women at the conference had a million other things to do that day, but they showed up. They came to learn and bond over common experiences. My sessions, Social Media 101 and Social Media Excellence, were filled to capacity. The women were very present asking lots of great questions and as I answered, sharing their own knowledge of social media with each other.

“What’s a hashtag?”

“It’s that thing with a pound sign.”

“What’s it for?”

 “To find stuff.”

I enjoyed seeing how women show up for each other, even total strangers. Helen's nurse was right.  During my second session, I learned another truth about women. We were in a room with no air conditioning. (Did I mention the conference was in Fresno?) I also had no way to connect my laptop to the PowerPoint projector. So I was reduced to making shadow puppets on screen to illustrate how to engage fans and followers on social media. As we sweltered together and the women watched me finagle gestures to try to explain my points, I realized women show up, and despite challenges, they stay for each other. And for that, I am truly grateful.