Hello Friends,

As many of you know I moved to Santa Barbara in 1999, recovering from a divorce with a challenging task of how am I going to support my family.

I spent the first 4 years just barely making it financially and raising 2 children by myself.  I knew that it was time for me to make a change in my career and I was ready to give my own business a try. I heard about Women Economic Ventures from a friend and deceided to apply for the program. I recieved a scholarship and graduated in 2003, THANK YOU WEV!

During the SET course this poem was an inspiration for me to complete the program, and encourage me during times of fear.

Our Deepest Fear
By Marianne Williamson

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Without WEV, I would not have had the opportunity to be apart of an amazing group of talented women and develop the skillset required to create my own business.

Please help me meet my personal fundraising goal of $100 by donating online to WEV, one of my favorite charities.

Thank you so much for your support,

Lori