WHAT: Texas Women’s Foundation’s (TXWF) #BestSelf brings girls, ages 11-15, and their educators and allies, together for a day of empowerment, teaching leadership skills, healthy conflict resolution and more, so these girls can embrace and become their “best selves.” This year’s event focuses on self-awareness, self-confidence, self-care and self-wellness, with workshops led by nationally known speaker-educators.
These workshops build self-confidence and empower girls to challenge stereotypes, use their voice, pursue their dreams, mentor one another and help generate positive change for equity in their schools, communities and society. #BestSelf, a program established from Texas Women’s Foundation’s Leadership Initiative, helps to build future leaders by empowering girls to be their best selves through programs that teach them about themselves, their friendships and healthy approaches to conflict.
A special thanks to the following sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor: Amazon
Underwriting Sponsor: Nancy Ann Hunt
Investor Sponsors: Capital One, Fossil Group, PwC
Advocate Sponsor: Southwest Airlines
WHO: North Texas schools and organizations serving young girls, small and large groups and individuals.
Keynote speakers (see end for bios)*
- Tori Dixon, Licensed Professional Counselor, Graceful Journey Counseling
- Bishop Arts Theatre Center (BATC), Award-winning, multicultural, multidisciplinary nonprofit arts institution
- Stefanie Tovar, Bhakti yoga instructor based in Dallas
- Tisha Crear, Chef and founder of Recipe Oak Cliff
WHERE: Paul Quinn College, 3837 Simpson Stuart Rd, Dallas, TX 75241
WHEN: Saturday, May 14, 2022
8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
- Students Arrive, Registration and Activities
9:00 - 9:45 a.m.
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
- Workshop 1: Self-Awareness (Tori Dixon)
- Workshop 2: Self-Confidence (Bishop Arts Theatre/Fran Jeffery Anderson)
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Workshop 1: Self-Awareness (Tori Dixon)
- Workshop 2: Self-Confidence (Bishop Arts Theatre/Fran Jeffery Anderson)
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
- Workshop 3: Self-Care (Stefanie Tovar)
- Workshop 4: Self-Wellness (Tisha Crear)
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
- Workshop 3: Self-Care (Stefanie Tovar)
- Workshop 4: Self-Wellness (Tisha Crear)
Best Self Speakers:*
Tori Dixon, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor specializing in providing compassionate and graceful guidance for those navigating various aspects of life. She founded Graceful Journey Counseling, a safe environment where meaningful work through past hurts is facilitated through an engaging, down-to-earth and collaborative counseling style. Dixon’s education includes a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Walden University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies with a minor in African & African American studies from The University of Oklahoma.
Bishop Arts Theatre Center (BATC) is an award-winning, multicultural, multidisciplinary nonprofit arts institution. They are the recipients of the Dallas Business Journal inaugural 2021 Leaders In Diversity Award. Founded in 1993, their mission is to cultivate a diverse and vibrant arts community committed to social impact, while creating opportunities for local and emerging artists to develop new, contemporary and lasting works that celebrate the diversity and resiliency of their community. BATC offers a full season of theater performances, jazz concerts, a speaker series and year-round arts education programs. They are a cultural oasis for the next generation of acclaimed writers, directors, performers and arts administrators. Governed by 11 board members, BATC impacts more than 30,000 artists, arts enthusiasts, adult learners and youth each year via virtual and in-person seasonal performances and arts education programs.
Healing Artist Stefanie Tovar (she/her/ella) is a leading facilitator of yoga, meditation and healing sounds to help lovingly disrupt systems internally and externally. She has presented at SXSW, Sedona Yoga Festival, the No More Martyrs Summit and more. She is the CEO and founder of wellness accessibility nonprofit Yena that was awarded 2019’s Best Underdog Nonprofit by the Dallas Observer and has undergone radical change in 2022 in service to Wellbeing for All. Tovar is also a musical recording artist whose album "Shine a Light" charted the billboards in New Age Music the week it was released. A published playwright, she was commissioned to write for Dallas's first 48 hour festival presented by Harlem 9 and Shades of Brown celebrating Black and Brown goddesses alongside Black and Brown creatives from across the nation. Tisha Crear is the owner of Recipe Oak Cliff, a delicious food security project of the Susu Cultural Business Incubator opened in 2017. RecipeOC serves fresh plant-based food and juice with alkaline, live/raw vegan food and cultural dishes. Crear is dedicated to preserving and creating space for healthy communities to thrive. She has worked for over 30 years in cultural arts and community development as an independent business owner and cultural arts administrator with the City of Dallas. A graduate of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts, she has a BFA in theatre and African Studies from New York University and a master’s in management from the University of Texas at Dallas.
FOR INFORMATION ON ATTENDING: For information on how to add your school to the invite list, contact Kristyn Senters at ksenters@txwf.org.
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: To find out how you can support this program, contact Ashley Lindsay at alindsay@txwf.org or call 214.525.5311.
About Texas Women’s Foundation:
Texas Women’s Foundation is Transforming Texas for Women and Girls, empowering them to build stronger, more equitable communities. One of the world’s largest women’s foundations, the Foundation raises funding from a broad base of donors, including individuals, foundations and corporations. These resources support more than $7 million in investments that advance economic security and leadership for Texas women and girls through groundbreaking research, advocacy, grants and programs. Since inception in 1985, the Foundation has invested $57 million in women and girls, including $43 million since 2011. The Foundation’s statewide research on issues affecting women and girls provides decision-makers and lawmakers with critical data to inform policies, practices and programs in the state. Its advocacy, grantmaking and innovative programs support solutions that help Texas women and girls thrive. In addition, Texas Women’s Foundation is an acknowledged leader and advocate in the gender lens investing movement and has deployed 100 percent of its assets – endowments, operating investments and donor-advised funds – in a gendered impact portfolio that yields strong financial returns and social benefits to women and girls. For more information, visit www.txwf.org, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram or donate now.