The annual LOLA Leadership Retreat was held in Washington, D.C., from October 13th to 15th. It was attended by 27 LOLA Chapter leaders, members, and staff worldwide. LOLA had Chapter leaders from seven countries, nine U.S. states, and three Brazilian states. The retreat allowed everyone to meet, share their stories of activism, learn new skills, and build stronger relationships. The event was a huge success, leaving all attendees feeling motivated and ready to take their Chapters to the next level!
Friday, October 13th
How I Found Liberty Stories & History of LOLA
On Friday evening, leaders shared their journey on how they came to the ideas of liberty and their journeys in LOLA. Afterward, Nena Whitfield, LOLA’s President shared the organization’s history of how LOLA has become a global organization inspiring women worldwide to advocate for liberty. Following this, the ladies attended a reception where they had the opportunity to meet and speak with partners, friends, and donors to LOLA.
Saturday, October 14th
Media Training – Hanna Catherine Smith, Leadership Institute
Saturday morning began with a bright and early start. Hanna Catherine Smith from Leadership Institute presented a three-hour session on preparing for and giving interviews to the media, covering radio, taped interviews, and live segments. After the session, four lucky ladies were allowed to showcase their newly acquired skills in LI’s in-house studio, replicating a three-minute live TV interview with Hanna.
After the session, the participants will feel more confident communicating the freedom philosophy and LOLA through various media channels.
How To Recruit Volunteers For Your Chapter – Rhachel Toombs
After their lunch break, Rhachel Toombs from America’s Future presented effective methods for discovering and recruiting new members to the chapter. She conducted a brainstorming session with the women, exploring possible places to locate potential members such as college campuses, in-person events, and social media. Toward the end of her presentation, Rhachel emphasized the importance of member management and delegating tasks to chapter members.
Finding and adding new members to a chapter is often challenging for leaders, and the tips Rhachel offered will prove invaluable.
60 Second Elevator Pitch
After a short break, the ladies had the opportunity to showcase their skills in the LOLA elevator pitch competition. Each participant was tasked with creating a 60-second pitch or less explaining why she is a part of LOLA and why other women should join the organization.
In addition to being a fun competition, the contest encourages the participants to develop a concise pitch for LOLA that highlights their passion and expertise in a particular area.
Holly Jean Soto – How To Talk About LOLA
During her talk, Holly Jean Soto, the Director of Operations at LOLA, shared on how to talk about LOLA to the public, media, chapters, and more. The talk specifically addressed how to answer the top three questions about LOLA 1)Why does LOLA focus on women, 2) How do we get more women, and 3) What are LOLA’s stances on controversial issues? Holly Jean shared her insights on answering these questions from an empathetic and positive perspective encouraging leaders to stay rooted in LOLA’s vision, mission, strategy, and purpose.
Izabela Patriota – How To Be A Good Communicator
After a quick dinner break, Izabela Patriota, the Director of Development at LOLA, gave a presentation on effective communication. The presentation included an exercise where the ladies paired up to practice active listening skills. The talk and exercise emphasized the significance of being present and attentive while speaking to others and allowing them to speak without any interruptions. At LOLA, empathy plays a crucial role in communication; active listening is the first step to achieving that.
LOLA Mixer
After that, the ladies went to the LOLA Mixer, which was open to the public. The event allowed the women to network, grab drinks, and have bar snacks with other attendees. Women from all over the United States were present at the mixer, showcasing their passion for liberty.
Sunday, October 15th
Headshots And Official Photo
Sunday started with the ladies having their headshots taken in Leadership Institute’s studio and the official LOLA 2023 D.C. Retreat group photo and regional group photos. And, of course, the ladies took the opportunity to take plenty of their own pictures while on the roof of the Leadership Institute’s building.
Having professional headshots taken is an important component of a strong, professional online presence. LOLA loves offering retreat attendees a chance to have a few taken.
Kat Murti – What It Means To Be A Libertarian Woman
Kat Murti, who is a member of the LOLA D.C. Chapter and also serves as the President of Feminists for Liberty, gave a talk on the subject of libertarian feminism and its implications for women. During the presentation, Kat discussed how libertarianism emphasizes individual needs but also touched upon specific issues that affect women, such as the classification of feminine hygiene products as luxury goods and the gender-specific income tax structure in the United States. Her 7-month-old daughter made an impromptu appearance during the talk, prompting her to speak about how mothers need to blend their work lives with family responsibilities. After the presentation, there was a detailed Q&A session, and some of the attendees expressed a newfound appreciation for libertarian feminism.
Anne Diaz – How To Structure Your Chapter
After lunch, Anne Diaz, the president of LOLA Brazil, presented an overview of how to structure a LOLA Chapter. LOLA Brazil is the largest region of LOLA, with 22 Chapters and 590 members, including an official Board of several members. With such a massive organization under her leadership, Anne shared valuable advice on how to organize Chapters. She stressed the importance of building a team that Chapter leads can delegate tasks to, thereby avoiding the burden of handling every task themselves. Furthermore, Anne encouraged individual Chapters to create and use social media channels to keep their communities informed about Chapter events, and to reach out to new women.
Angela Walker-Werth – Writing Op-Eds To The Press
Angel Walker-Werth, the Chapter Leader of LOLA England and a Fellow and Programs Manager at the Objective Standard Institute, talked about how to write op-eds for publication. As an experienced writer and editor, she shared valuable tips on the writing process, pitching to publications, and ensuring that submissions adhere to the guidelines for length and style. She also shared advice on how to get the writing process started by laying out all of the topics via writing them in a brain dump, recording your ideas as they come, or whatever works best for each person. Her talk was insightful and informative, offering best practices for anyone interested in writing for publication.
Justyna Piątek-Pawłowska – Planning Events And Raising Money For Your Own Chapter
Justyna Piątek-Pawłowska is the Chapter Leader of LOLA Poland and also serves as the Regional Leader of LOLA Europe. During a recent event, she provided some valuable advice on organizing and raising funds for Chapter activities. Justyna shared some practical tips on budget management and ways to plan low or no-cost activities to increase awareness of LOLA. One example of this is when LOLA Poland attended a march where they caught the attention of a popular activist and YouTube content creator, who featured the Chapter on his Instagram feed.
Additionally, Justyna shared her impressive experience in raising the funds for this year’s European Leadership Retreat all by herself.
What Leaders are Saying About the LOLA Retreat:
The retreat ended with a group session where the ladies shared their feelings about the retreat. Several ladies shared how profoundly the retreat impacted them, with a few getting emotional. Here are a few testimonials from the ladies who attended the retreat:
“The LOLA Leadership Retreat in DC was an incredible experience. Being new to LOLA, it was especially amazing to connect with other leaders in person. The training was informative, practical, and inspiring. I learned more during that weekend than I did last semester. It was the first time I didn’t feel the need to compete with other women in an all women space.
And I can’t wait to go back next year!”
-Golbon Rose, Chapter leader of LOLA Seattle
“I left the LOLA Leadership Retreat feeling empowered, educated, supported & even more determined to spread the truth about libertarian ideas & free market capitalism. I feel equipped with the tools required to successfully lead my chapter, inspire other women to join in on our cause & stay focused on what matters. I was truly impressed with the professionalism, organization & communication from the speakers, LOLA staff & our CEO, Nena Whitfield. I am truly grateful to be part of such a wonderful organization spreading the TRUTH about capitalism & empowering women to use their voice even if & when we don’t always agree with one another. I know I’m safe with LOLA. Can’t wait for the next retreat!”
-Shannon Plunkett, Chapter leader of LOLA South Florida
“I have been a LOLA for many years, since 2018, and it was always about the ideas of liberty, the principle of building a network of women leaders who could advocate for freedom. It was all very rational, very clear in my mind. But the retreat in DC went from my brain into my heart. Meeting those amazing women from so many different places, in their own special way, spending time learning, eating and sleeping with them, hearing their stories, their fears, their joys, made me feel connected on a whole new level. It was the magic of remembering we are people, we are women, mothers, daughters, sisters, even spouses, and we have so much in common, so much to teach each other, and so much to learn together. This is how I truly believe we can continue fighting for freedom, because we know we are not alone, and these extraordinary LOLAS are always there, supporting one another, criticizing and even disagreeing when necessary, but always, always, holding out a friendly libertarian hand. That’s the most important lesson I felt in the retreat, amidst so many excellent classes and tools that we received. It was the feeling of belonging to something so strong, so powerful, that I can walk into any battle without fear. These LOLAs have my back, and nothing is more important.”
-Monica Rosenberg, Chapter leader of and Board member of LOLA Brazil
“Attending the Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA) leadership retreat in Washington, D.C. as a participant representing LOLA Asia was an experience that touched me at a profound emotional level. It’s hard to put into words just how impactful this retreat was. From the moment I arrived, I felt a powerful sense of belonging and unity. The women I met, from around the world, exuded passion, strength, and determination. We came together as strangers but left as sisters. The retreat provided an incredible space for us to bond, share our stories, and support one another in our personal and professional journeys in advancing liberty. The guidance and mentorship provided were not just informative but deeply inspiring.
I’ll never forget the emotional moments during our group discussions, where we shared our fears, aspirations, and dreams. We cried, we laughed, and we uplifted each other. It was a safe and nurturing environment where vulnerability was celebrated, and our shared experiences connected us on a profound level. As I left the retreat, my heart was heavy with gratitude. I had formed connections with women who had become like family to me. The emotional impact of this experience extended beyond the event itself. It was a beautiful reminder of the power of women supporting women, and I’m forever grateful for the love and empowerment I found at LOLA.”
-Rida Yumn Ahmed, Chapter leader LOLA Delhi
While the retreat officially ended Sunday evening, Monday featured plenty of activities to keep the ladies busy. There was a walking tour of the D.C. National Mall area since, for many of the attendees, this was their first trip to the U.S. capital. After that, the Cato Institute hosted them for a tour of their headquarters, lunch, and a Q&A with three members of the Cato staff on what it is like to work for a liberty think tank as a woman.
Thank you to our sponsors and donors!
LOLA would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and played a part in making this retreat a resounding success. From our outstanding donors and sponsors to the amazing women who participated, you all contributed to an experience that inspired and empowered. The connections forged during the retreat will undoubtedly continue to uplift and strengthen the attendees for a long time to come. Thank you all for being a part of something truly special!
