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March 31, 2026

There are events you attend… and then there are rooms you feel.

Rooms where intention hangs in the air like perfume. Where every handshake carries weight. Where conversations don’t just pass time—they build futures. That was the atmosphere at the New York Chapter of CHUMS, Inc. Women’s Empowerment Event—an afternoon that felt less like a gathering and more like a quiet ignition.

Held at the Merrick Golf Course Clubhouse on Long Island, the setting offered polish, yes—but what unfolded inside was something deeper: a deliberate convergence of leadership, service, and sisterhood in motion.

And the message, woven through every detail, was unmistakable: power isn’t just held—it’s practiced.

A Program Rooted in Intention

The afternoon moved with precision, guided by Mistress of Ceremonies Temitope Famodimu, whose presence carried both warmth and command. The program opened with a prayer from Chaplain Karin Campbell—a moment that grounded the room before it expanded into celebration.

President Melanie Stewart welcomed guests with a tone that felt both official and familiar, like stepping into something established yet still evolving.

Performances from the Westbury Corps Ensemble and Dance Team added texture and rhythm, but this wasn’t entertainment for its own sake. Each element contributed to a larger narrative—one centered on expression, discipline, and collective pride.

Honoring Work That Doesn’t Always Get Applause

Recognition during the program landed with weight.

Community Service honoree Carmen Lloyd, along with Barbara Edwards and Jeannine A. Corbin, were celebrated not for surface-level achievements, but for sustained, often unseen impact. These were acknowledgments of women who have committed themselves to service in ways that don’t always make headlines—but shape communities nonetheless.

The room responded accordingly—not just with applause, but with understanding.

Because everyone present knew: this kind of work is not performative. It’s personal.

A Keynote That Shifted the Room

When Vanessa Baird-Streeter, President and CEO of the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island, took the stage, the energy recalibrated.

Introduced by Gwendolyn Enocher-Washington, her remarks carried the kind of clarity that doesn’t ask for attention—it commands it. The room grew still, not out of formality, but focus.

Her message centered not just on empowerment as an idea, but as a responsibility. Leadership, in her framing, wasn’t aspirational—it was actionable.

And the distinction mattered.

A Seamless Experience, By Design

What made the afternoon feel cohesive—almost effortless—was not accidental.

Special recognition is due to Carolyn Barry-Ginyard, Fundraising Chair and Women’s Empowerment Co-Chair, whose coordination and attention to detail helped bring the experience together with intention. From the flow of the program to the overall execution, her work ensured that each moment aligned with the purpose of the event.

It’s often the steady, behind-the-scenes leadership that allows everything else to shine.

The Energy Between the Moments

Beyond the program, the real story unfolded in the spaces in between.

Laughter shared over refreshments. Conversations that bridged generations. Introductions that felt less like networking and more like alignment.

There was a collective understanding in the room—an unspoken agreement that gathering like this is not just social, it’s strategic.

Because when women connect with intention, something larger begins to take shape.

More Than a Moment

What the New York Chapter of CHUMS, Inc. continues to build—through programming, scholarships, and service—is not just a series of events. It’s an ecosystem.

One where women are not only recognized, but resourced. Not only celebrated, but positioned.

This wasn’t about leaving inspired.

It was about leaving activated.

And that distinction? That’s where the real impact lives.