Diverse, ‘dynamic women’ to be focus of UNLV forum series

By Danielle McCrea

Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2014 | 2 a.m.

Women often come to Harriet Barlow with a question: “Can we have it all?” Her answer is always yes, but she advises them to have defined “all” as something they want, not what others may have told them to want.

Barlow, assistant vice president of the Office of Diversity Initiatives at UNLV, is responsible for promoting equality in all aspects of campus life. To that end, she’s organized a forum series that will bring together successful women who are in leadership roles.

“Oftentimes, women have untold stories," said Barlow. "Here is an opportunity for these stories and those experiences to be told as a reflection or a motivator for women beginning their careers, women hearing those naysayers telling them they can’t do something because of their gender. Here, you can see women who are actually doing it.”

In an "Oprah"-esque format, the series, which kicks off Friday, will feature female leaders from Las Vegas and across the country conversing in an intimate setting. They will talk about their influences, struggles and roles.

The first event, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, will feature three local Latina leaders. All forums are free and will be held at Greenspun Auditorium at UNLV.

The Sun sat down with Barlow to discuss the genesis of the series and what women can expect if they attend. Excerpts from the conversation:

How did the idea for the series come about?

The Women’s Council has a tremendous effort going on this year. We’re seeing women leading in faculty and staff alliances, a lot of women in leadership or chairmanship roles on campus. We’ve been talking a lot about creating more opportunities to get women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs. It seemed natural that we would utilize this series to help this initiative, to forge it, to bring focus to it.

Why is this topic important for the community?

Las Vegas has a female mayor. There are women on the city council and county commission and on various other boards. In that regard, it’s not unusual for a woman to be in a leadership role here. But in our everyday lives, do we take the accomplishments, the contributions of the women within our own community for granted, how they help leave the pile higher for those who come after? I think sometimes we do. I think it’s extremely important to recognize them and so very crucial that our youth see and know these women, these role models who are doing great things and making a great impact. We have to be out there.

Tell me about Friday’s kickoff event.

This month’s event is in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. We’ll have three Latina women: one in higher education (Cecilia Maldonado, associate professor of workforce development and provost fellow for faculty mentoring and development), one in politics (Democratic Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams), and one in the public policy sector (Nancy Brune, executive director of the Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities). They are going to be talking about things relative to their own lives, their influences and the paths they have taken to get where they are.

How does the series connect to you?

Because I am a woman, I’m more excited about what I’m going to learn and what it is that’s going to be brought to bear, how electrifying these dynamic women will be.

I’ve been blessed to be where I am, and when I think about the women in my life who have helped me get to where I am, not one of them has a degree. I think about my mother, and maternal and fraternal grandmothers. I remember the stories about them, how my mother would tell me, “Harriet, you can be whatever you want to be because you come from a line of very strong and dynamic women.” … And then there are the women in my professional life who have put me in positions where I didn’t necessarily think I could do the job, but they had faith in me. They were there to hold my hand, to push me, to tell me the truth. All these women were incredible. I wouldn’t be here without them.