Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1492834
By Kristin Marguerite Doidge M any of us may have resolved to make positive changes in our lives for the new year, but for the Women's Steering Committee (WSC), the first event for 2023 focused on how a resolution to build more confidence is of- ten best achieved by looking within. In an interactive two-hour webinar on Jan. 8, nearly 130 attendees from more than 15 other IATSE local guilds, including m e m b e r s w h o w o r k i n a n i m a t i o n , a r t direction and set design, came together to hear IATSE Women's Committee District 10 Coordinator Lucia Aloi deliver "Words Mat- ter: Activate Your Confidence," a spirited, research-based presentation she's offered all over North America for the past two years. Aloi covered how gender plays a role in a number of facets in the workplace, pro- vided historical examples of women who defied the odds and expectations to achieve greatness in various fields (such as NASA's Mary Jackson), and shared practical tips on how to apply these learnings backstage, on set, and in the editing room. After WSC Co-chair Aimee Jennings welcomed everyone, National Executive Director Cathy Repola shared a few words about how she and Aloi initially connect- ed. "It means a lot to be presenting this," R e p o l a s a i d , n o t i n g h ow A l o i wa s o n e of the people who stood by her during some of the most challenging times in her career. It was that notion of support and solidarity that became a running theme throughout the presentation. "I was moved by the number of attend- ees who were willing to talk about their personal experiences and observations," Repola said after the event. "It reminded WORD UP AN IATSE WEBINAR AIMED AT BOOSTING WOMEN'S CONFIDENCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS me how powerful a group can feel when everyone is together working toward a common goal." When a woman is uplifted by her peers, "other women are watching," Aloi said, adding that research shows women have been socialized as children to speak and behave in a certain way that can create bar- riers to success in the workplace as adults. "But knowing that you are on the right side of history and helping yourself and future women is tremendously uplifting, giving a woman true confidence," she added. Aloi went on to detail several key com- ponents to help activate a more confident inner voice, such as shifting how women handle failure or mistakes—and the impor- tance of creating recovery plans—as well as how posture and eye contact can convey outer conf idence and promote greater self-esteem and self-efficacy. She also spoke about how many women may have also been socialized to have an aversion to risk-taking, or may be inclined to minimize knowledge, accomplishments, and aptitude. "It's heartbreaking to hear how difficult some workplaces make it for women who try to lead, serve, or just work in a non-hos- tile, even-playing field environment," Aloi A screenshot from the January 8 event. P H OT O : W O M E N ' S S T E E R I N G C O M M I T T E E Women have been socialized to speak and behave in a certain way. 14 C I N E M O N T A G E C O M M I T T E E N E W S