Kim – November 2018
This morning I took my “Kickass (Wo)men” shirt out of the closet. I saw it and I just felt like this one of those days: A day I remember that I am Kickass and that I can do almost anything together in a strong team. I remember the day of the Kickass (Wo)men event. Not only the fantastic evening, which was absolutely unique thanks to the community of CoWomen, but also the hours before the event.
Every team member was electrified and thanks to the many helpers* it was possible to turn the room in the Alte Münze into CoWomen’s Kickass Wonderland within a few hours. For those who might not have made it to the event, I will try to sketch the scene. Around noon I open the doors of the room and look at a lot of people who are all doing one thing: supporting each other and having a lot of fun. Some prepare the bar for the evening, others decorate the room to give it a certain CoWomen charm and the group of international artists* is slowly but surely building their exhibition, which will only find its premiere in such a combination today.
I go out again to do some errands and come back to the grounds of the Alte Münze at around dusk, already now, pastel-colored lights shine from the glass walls of the gallery where we were allowed to celebrate. I enter the room and can hardly believe how fantastic it has become. Lighting, flowers and matching balloons are very convincing, but in addition there is the diy decoration, which sums up that this evening is from kickass (Wo)men for Kickass Women. A couples of moments later we had a team meeting in which Alexa, Hannah, Sara and Kat give the helpers their task for the evening and the magic of the CoWomen community, almost by itself, takes care that this certain inspiring energy spreads in the room. This CoWomen energy that simply motivates and inspires.
Soon the first guests arrived and explored the room. However, some of them told us that the entrance to the building is blocked by an eternally long line of people who want to go to a parallel techno event. That was definitely a problem, we already had a few hurdles during the preparation, but they were limited to buying 30 limes, although lemons were needed *easy*. This was a bit bigger, because our Kickass (Wo)men now had to pass a queue of people that was almost a hundred meters long. This could get pretty confusing because the actual entrance was blocked with security checks, but we wouldn’t be CoWomen and wouldn’t be celebrating Kickass (Wo)men, if we let this stop us. Together with Hannah’s parents I went to the entrance of the Alte Münze and we looked for our Kickass (Wo)men, who were standing a little lost in front of it or lining up bravely in the queue, assuming it was for our event. We brought our guests to the right event, bit by bit past this hurdle towards the evening they were eagerly awaiting. That went on for a while, but together we made it and the evening started on time.
The opening speech of our three founders reflected the heart of this community with the known ease and energy. The invited Kickass (Wo)mae listened eagerly to the new plans and future projects Hannah, Sara and Kat talked about this evening, for the first time in public. CoWomen is moving to larger rooms and a new area to provide more rising women the community offers, work space and creative opportunities they need. About the whole area shone as this fantastic message stood in the room. Our great supporter Brigitte Zypries picked up on this moment and gave an exciting speech aimed at young women. I remember her saying something like, It’s not about thinking about the next job, the next offer or the next opportunity, it’s about just doing things because guys wouldn’t think about it that much either. I have already found myself in this willingness to make decisions, but since the Kickass Women Event I carry this thought even more clearly in me.
My absolute highlight of the evening was the premiere of the CoWomen crowdfunding video. A project that was conceived and brought to life by an energetic team and will hopefully open the next chapter for CoWomen. Another highlight was the interview recording of the Leading Rebels Podcast with Cilia Kanellopoulos, Head of Social Innovation of the Vodafone Institute. Kat actually managed to get the interview with exciting questions and insights into the world of an inspiringn woman from the sound strength of the evening and a crowd of spectators formed around the Leading Rebels. The mood of the evening was absolutely fantastic and was accompanied by the cool beats of Stella Zekri, Juan From Nowhere and Couleur. Either I met exciting people and was busy networking or I practiced my coolest kick in the kickass corner. The later the evening went on and everyone slowly drank out their CoBuzz (that’s the CoWomen cocktail created just for this evening – delicious and forever in memory), the more people gathered around the photo corner and we even made it to get a team picture at the end of the evening.
When I look back at this event about three weeks ago, I know that CoWomen is the necessary and unique concept for rising women. I remember the evening and see what these three inspiring women created with a team in a very short time of planning and in a day of setting up and that is almost unbelievable. But the fact is: it’s possible and it’s fantastic.
CoWomen is the space where one person and their very own project can grow, together with others and with the necessary support. This space has to be realized to bring projects like the Kickass Woman Event to life, because at a CoWomen event like this we meet, we connect, we inspire each other and help us grow. For me, this energy is the proof that the CoWomen community and its network of rising women, who support each other and help ech other progress, is the best thing that can happen to a woman.
Photography by Sophie le Roux | www.sophielerouxdocu.com | @sophielerouxdocu
