BCW CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF SERVICE IN 2002!

Black Career Women was founded in 1977 to address the career development
needs of black women. This year, 2002, is our silver anniversary and we are
extremely proud to have become one of the more enduring women's
organizations in the national African American community.

In 1997, the organization was incorporated in the State of Ohio as
Black Career Women, Inc. by four women who remain with the organization
today, Linda Bates Parker, President & Founder, Cheryl Monk, Executive Vice
President, Ann Keeling, Senior Vice President, Linda McKenzie, Vice
President & Secretary. The organization received considerable support in
the Cincinnati community for its programs and grew rapidly. A group of
Community Advisors made up of achieving black women who supported BCW's
goals, assisted in its early formation and growth.

BCW's officers originally visioned ourselves as a business, but after five
years, we realized that our business was education and training and that we
probably never would make a profit from these endeavors, despite their
importance, so BCW relinquished its for-profit status and incorporated as
the Black Career Women's Resource Center, Inc. in 1981. We successfully
opened and ran our center for 5 years serving as a professional catalyst for
working women at all levels.

During this time, BCW has had a number of benchmarks of success:

* BCW Resource Center was one of only two such career centers in the
country at its.
* BCW received a $185,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education
to open its center and expand its services nationwide.
* BCW implemented the first national awards program to recognize the
achievements of black women who had achieved Vice Presidential status in
U.S. corporations -- Black Women Achieving Against The Odds.
* BCW successfully awarded major contracts with the City of Cincinnati
to train disadvantaged women to become computer literate and
self-sufficient.
* BCW implemented EXECUCIRCLE in 1982 to assist African American men
and women in expanding their global networks and becoming more
internationally astute. In its 14 year history, EXECUCIRCLE took over 1000
African Americans to its uniquely designed conferences in Africa the
Caribbean and South America.
* BCW conducted early research on status of black women managers and
used info to assist our women in their career advancement.
* BCW invited to sit in on the preliminary investigations and to
assist in survey distribution of the New York based Catalyst organization's
seminal research study on Women of Color in U.S. Corporations.
* BCW launches its Can We Talk? national diversity forums in
conjunction with its 20th anniversary.
* BCW entered into the Congressional Record of the United States by
Senator Michael Dewine, in recognition of its years of outstanding
contributions to the status of women locally and nationally.
* BCW cited in numerous publications including, Essence Magazine,
Black Enterprise, The Black Woman's Career Guide, the Multicultural Guide,
the national Business & Professional Women's Directory and Success Guide.
* BCW is awarded $10,000 from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation to
assist in updating and expanding its website. New website now includes
employment listings and resume referrals, free email service, opinion polls,
community dialogue section, a racism quiz, promotion of BCW events,
recognitions of local and national achievers, a BCW Mall to promote new
publications by black women authors and automated paysytem for BCW
Membership and events.

BCW's Goals for 2002

BCW continues to seek creative ways to serve first its members (locally and
nationally) and then its community through our various programs and
services. In its 25th Anniversary year, BCW plans to continue using its
website as our primary communication's link and to increase by 25%, the
association's membership, locally and nationally, since this is BCW's
primary source of annual income. Toward that end, BCW has added some new
features to its membership including a monthly drawing for members only,
throughout 2002. We invite members to send in their one-page professional
profiles and a business photo as we highlight member achievements on our
site. We will also have a member registry where members can sign in and be
available to network with and support the career advancement of other
members, if they so desire.

About the economy and the increasing numbers of layoffs nationally:

BCW advises its members and friends to stay focussed on career effectiveness
as you become aware of the increasing vulnerability of almost any positions
in today's wavering economy. As the country keeps trying to determine if
this is really a recession, more and more of our women are being laid off or
being offered corporate buy-outs.

We have learned several things from women who have sought us out during
these periods of transition:
* Stay alert to layoffs and what's being offered to those laid off in
your company and industry.
* Don't think that it couldn't happen to you; it could.
* Resist being bitter. Nothing to be gained by focussing on the
negative. Don't take it personally.
* Use every service offered within the company, especially
outplacement assistance to the max.
* Take a minute to mourn the loss of your job and then get ready to
move on.
* Getting ready to move on is essential: Meet with your company
benefits counselor to know exactly what is leaving with you. Get
professional assistance in revising your resume, especially if you have not
been in the job market for some time; Go to a financial planner and get on a
realistic budget; File for unemployment, if eligible; Then take a few days
or maybe a few weeks, assessing where you are and where you are going. Take
time to think what your next career move should be and what you will need to
get there. Seek professional career advice and be willing to pay for a
career coach, if you can afford it. Take time to just rest and get out of
the rat race for awhile until you can refuel your engine.
* Start studying the job market and make sure your search includes
traditional sources such as newspaper classifieds, on-line as well as
community job search assistance services.
* Network, network, network and be sure you have current professional
association memberships to list on your resume such as BCW!

Here's To A New Year Of Expanding Horizons &
New Opportunities For Career Advancement & Personal Satisfaction!

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