The Arkansas Delta Women’s Leadership Academy hosted a session of the program Sept. 17 in Pine Bluff. The 25 women selected for the program had the opportunity to hear from community and city leaders.
Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington spoke to the group about her city. Washington is the first African American woman elected mayor in Pine Bluff.
To learn more about the area, the women heard from Jennifer Kline, executive director of the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce, who shared details about work being done in the community and places to visit.
Donna Ryles, interim director of The Generator, a program of Go Forward Pine Bluff, welcomed the visitors to the meeting and spoke about the things they have planned for the future.
Sharing her background on her road to becoming a successful leader, Andrea Stewart, interim chancellor at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, spoke about her journey and the struggles that she and other women often face when getting their degrees.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Many of the women in the 2024 academy class are currently enrolled in graduate and doctoral programs across the Delta and were inspired by the comments made by Stewart.
Tessa Cripe and Alisha Williams are both seeking doctoral degrees.
“When you have a goal, and you work so hard to be able to meet that goal, and ultimately you do, it can feel overwhelming and isolated. To hear from strong women who have done those things and you see the difference they are able to make, it gives me fuel,” said Cripe, assistant principal at Pocahontas Elementary School.
Williams is the human resources director for the City of Blytheville.
“It was beyond touching to hear Stewart’s testimony,” Williams said. “Processing her tenacity to face challenges despite their impact, head-on, empowered me in my own struggles.”
Each participant was tasked at the beginning of the year to develop a program to benefit an organization or their local community in the Delta. On Sept. 17, each person shared details about their projects, including how their plans will impact their communities and the people who live there.
“The passion in the room was undeniable as the leadership academy participants pitched their community projects,” said Andrea Allen, ADWLA program director. “Each project is driven by a deep commitment to creating change. These women are not just dreaming of a better future, they are actively engaged in building it — one project at a time.”
The women also heard from Annette Howard Dove, founder and CEO of Targeting our Peoples Priorities with Service (TOPPS), as the “be inspired” speaker.
“We have 12 different programs because when there is a need and we do not have a program for it, we are going to develop one. If there is a need, we are going to meet it,” said Dove.
Representatives from Lonoke County Safe Haven spoke about the services they provide to the residents of their community.
Cherisse Jones-Branch, dean of the A-State College of Liberal Arts and Communication, who is also one of the founders of the ADWLA program, talked about how to target priorities through service.
The 2024 class will graduate from ADWLA on Nov. 14 at the ASU System Office in Little Rock. Applications are open for the 2025 session.
Women who are 21 and older and from the 41 Delta counties are encouraged to apply. Applications are due Oct. 11 and can be found at AState.edu/DeltaWomen.