What Happened When Women Gathered for International Women’s Day at ALTAR

This March, we invited women to gather at ALTAR around one simple truth: We are living at a turning point.

Women everywhere are being called—not only to lead within the world as it is, but to engage consciously with what is being shaped next. Together, nearly one hundred women answered that call with us for When Women Lead: our International Women’s Day event held on 3/8/2026.

More than a traditional talk or conference, this immersive activation was designed to help women pause, listen more deeply, trust their own judgment, and feel connected to one another across generations. Guided by Marianne Williamson, we collectively reflected on leadership, conscience, and responsibility at a moment when new ways of leading are urgently needed.

What We Learned on International Women's Day

The afternoon started with an inquiry into what’s gone wrong in the Women’s Movement in the US over the last fifty years. Marianne shared her thoughts on this subject with all of us and on March 10^th in her Substack:

“Among other things, over the years we seem to have lost a sense of sisterhood. In the early days, we were all aware that none of us would get there unless all of us got there. If we weren’t loyal to one another, the patriarchal status quo would divide and conquer us at every turn… A woman who thinks female empowerment is simply about she herself getting ahead, is applying patriarchal values to her efforts to beat the patriarchy!”

She continues, “So yes, it was great that women got seats on boards, high corporate positions, and so forth. But for the most part, we weren’t invited to bring our feminine values with us. We were simply invited to parrot the patriarchal values already in play.”

Put simply, Marianne reminded all of us that it’s not enough for us to have a seat at the table if we’re still self-censoring once we’re there.

As women, we’ve long been conditioned to stay small and avoid dissent. And in this moment when hate is loud, Marianne reminded us that love cannot afford to whisper. We must use our voice with courage and responsibility for what comes next.

A Glimpse of the Day

There was a moment in the afternoon where you could feel the room shift. It wasn’t just inspiration, it was recognition of a shared sense that something is off and that we each have a role to play in changing it.

Personally, I’m so grateful to everyone who joined us for this powerful program. I’m always blown away by how everyone comes to ALTAR with their full, authentic selves. I look forward to sharing many more International Women’s Day events here in Chicago with this community.

What's Next

If you’d like to see everything coming up at ALTAR, you can visit our event page here. If you’d like to host your own event in our space—from milestone celebrations to corporate retreats—you can send us an inquiry form here.