EDMONDS — The fourth annual Edmonds International Women’s Day will be held Saturday at the Edmonds Waterfront Center.
This year’s theme is “Break the Bias,” said organizers Alicia Crank of Crank’d Up Consulting and Megan Wolfe of Girls on the Run Snohomish County.
“Bias isn’t just about race, gender and sexual orientation,” Crank said. “Disability inclusion and accessibility is also an issue in the community and the workplace. Many times, our bias can be unconscious. The speakers we are lining up for this event will be able to shed more light on how we can break these biases.”
The free event will be held in-person and online this year.
The in-person event offers a lunch option at noon Saturday. The virtual presentation kicks off at 1 p.m.
To attend either format, register at aliciainedmonds.com or facebook.com/IWDEdmonds.
The program features two panel discussions, by Snohomish County women judges and Edmonds police officers:
• “Breaking the Bias in the Judicial System” will feature Judges Anna Alexander and Cassandra Lopez-Shaw of Snohomish County Superior Court, and Judge Whitney Rivera of Edmonds Municipal Court.
• “Breaking the Bias in Law Enforcement” will feature Edmonds Police Chief Michelle Bennett, financial crimes detective Julie Govantes and community engagement officer Tabatha Shoemake.
Two keynote presentations will be given by Tracy Taylor, traffic anchor at KIRO-TV, and Melissa Sassi, “chief penguin” at IBM Z.
“Each of these women have an amazing story, both personal and professional,” Crank said. Sassi, for example, had her children kidnapped from her and went on to create a youth-led digital skills movement.
Event sponsors include Cline Jewelers, DME CPA Group, Rogue Boutique, Morgan & Moss, Michelle M. Osborne, J.D., and the Seattle Chapter of the National Organization for Women.
International Women’s Day on March 8 celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action to accelerate gender parity.
The first gathering in 1911 was supported by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.
Janice Podsada: 425-339-3097; jpodsada@heraldnet.com;
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