Arkansas Delta Women’s Leadership Academy Makes a Stop in Pine Bluff

09/19/2024

JONESBORO - The Arkansas Delta Women's Leadership Academy hosted its penultimate session of the program on Tuesday in Pine Bluff. The 25 women selected for the program had the opportunity to hear from community and city leaders.

Shirley Washington, mayor of Pine Bluff, spoke to the group about her city. Washington is the first African American woman ever elected mayor in Pine Bluff.

To learn more about the area, the ladies 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 Go Forward Pine Bluff and The Generator, 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, Dr. 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.
Many of the women in the 2024 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.
"It was beyond touching to hear Stewart's testimony. Processing her tenacity to face challenges despite their impact, head on, empowered me in my own struggles," said Williams, human resources director for the City of Blytheville.

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 Tuesday, 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. 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," said Andrea Allen, ADWLA program director.

The ladies also heard from Annette Howard Dove, founder and CEO of Targeting our Peoples Priorities with Service 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. Dr. 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 Thursday, Nov. 14, at the ASU System Office in Little Rock. Applications are currently open for the 2025 session. Women, 21 and older, from the 41 Delta counties are encouraged to apply. Applications are due by Friday, Oct. 11, and can be found online at AState.edu/DeltaWomen.

Women of the ADWLA hear from Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch during their Pine Bluff session.

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