Beijing Women’s Network Rallies Female-led Groups for Women’s Day Event

Mar 8 is International Women’s Day. In honor of all the Queens who are crushing it and living their best lives, Jingkids will be profiling some of Beijing’s fiercest female entrepreneurs. Like Queen Beyonce says, “Who runs the world? Girls!”

If you know a Girl Boss you think we should profile, don’t hesitate to shoot us a message at editor@beijing-kids.com.

Only one thing is better than one successful woman, and that’s two successful women!

That’s where communities such as Beijing Women’s Network (BWN) come into play. BWN is a volunteer-led community that was founded in 2015 and has served more than 5,000 members while also running nine active WeChat groups. Their core mission is to support women’s professional and personal development. To meet this goal, they organize two to four events per month. These include skills training, mentoring programs, community dinners with inspirational female leaders as well as activities to promote better mental and physical health.

We spoke with Nandini Venkata, chair of applied skills and committee member at BWN, to find out more about the part BWN plays in supporting Beijing women.

Why do women in Beijing need BWN?
I believe there’s a global need for communities like BWN. Implicit bias about women’s capabilities remains a universal challenge. The result is that female professionals are either underestimated or they simply underestimate themselves, setting a bar far too low and settling for less than they deserve.

This is where communities like BWN can shake things up. By connecting our members to mentors, running skills-based workshops, and amplifying the voices of diverse female leaders, we try to shatter harmful stereotypes and support women to aim higher in their careers.

I understand that BWN operates on volunteers. What drives you personally to give your time and energy to this mission?
First of all, I am extremely fortunate to have a healthy work-life balance and, therefore, have enough personal time to volunteer outside of work. Not everyone has this privilege.

There are many reasons why I want to contribute to BWN. Most importantly, I really believe in the cause. Early on in my career, I experienced a number of challenges (i.e. self-doubt, not knowing how to advocate for myself) and now I realize that these are issues that a lot of women face. So running a platform that supports women to overcome such obstacles is both healing and rewarding. I also love being part of a team that wants to grow and have a positive impact. Plus, my BWN team members are incredible – I have found great friends and mentors in them.

In what ways can women in Beijing support BWN?
There are so many ways to support! We are always on the lookout for fantastic speakers who can share their inspiring stories or lead a skills-based workshop. Likewise, BWN would also love to hear from any organizations which would like to team up for an event or share resources (e.g. sponsorship, venues). Last but definitely not least, come join our events!

What’s upcoming from BWN that we can look forward to?
We recently recruited a new team of volunteers. So, I’m excited for our community to meet these dynamic ladies! With an even bigger team, we look forward to bringing our network more opportunities to connect and inspire each other. We will also soon reveal the details of our charity partner who we will be fundraising for in the new year. Stay tuned for details! All in all, 2022 will be a big year for BWN!

Together with 9 other women-led organizations – Viva Professional Women Network, Date Night China, WellWomen, Ladies Who Tech, Female Health Empowerment Network, WellWomen, Yingfluencer, BARE, Female Expats In Beijing, and the Clothing Auction Network – BWN has organized a great event to celebrate and connect Beijingers from all walks of life. Refer to the poster below for more details and search “Beijingwomen” in WeChat to follow BWN’s official WeChat account for future events.