Arkansas Women’s Commission Regional Meeting at SAU.
Southern Arkansas University hosted the Arkansas Women’s Commission Regional Meeting on Monday, October 17, 2022, at the SAU Alumni Center. The Commission, which Governor Hutchinson recently reactivated by proclamation, will conclude its yearlong research in December and present a comprehensive report to the Governor regarding women’s barriers to participation in the labor force.
The meeting opened with encouraging words from SAU President Dr. Trey Berry. He correlated SAU’s growth and continuous improvements during the past decade to the increase of women in leadership roles at the University.
Meeting attendees represented a broad range of industries and companies to provide diverse perspectives on issues women face in the labor force. In addition to the feedback provided to the Commission during the informal panel discussion, three guest speakers provided insight about their own experiences regarding entry to and participation in the labor force. Shawana Reed, vice president for finance at SAU; Christy Ouei, entrepreneur and owner of Mulekick restaurants; and Allison Schultz, president and CEO of Southern Aluminum spoke about barriers, road blocks, and mentors, all of which contributed to their chosen career paths.
Shawana Reed, vice president for finance at SAU.
Shawana Reed has worked as an accountant in the higher education industry for the past 18 years and spoke passionately about her love of learning. When reflecting on her personal barriers, the Nashville, Ark., native shared that although she aspired to become an engineer, she was unable to pursue her dream. As a high school student, she was chosen to participate in a young engineers program that met monthly in Little Rock. Her marks were so high she was invited to join the Association of Black Engineers in Arkansas, but Reed did not have the privilege of completing the program due to the lack of monthly transportation. She realized if she did not have the means to travel to Little Rock, she would not have the means to attend a university farther away with an engineering program. “Locations matter, resources matter,” Reed commented.
Christy Ouei, entrepreneur and owner of Mulekick restaurants.
Christy Ouei provided great insight for the group regarding the topic of the gender pay gap. Ouei quoted recent research, “if the gap continues to close at historical rates, the average female pay in Arkansas will equal that of a male’s in the year 2082. For Louisiana, it’s the year 2115.” Ouei pointed out that the south Arkansas economy is more similar to Louisiana, indicating that for south Arkansas women, the gender pay gap will persist well into the next century. Ouei is passionate about that gap being closed. She ties education as a significant way for women to close this gap. “The greater the level of education in females, the lower the gap.”
Allison Schultz opened her comments by bragging about the group of women that were present in the room. “What a tremendous power we have in south Arkansas, and thank you for representing all women,” Schultz says.
Schultz spoke of the mentors in her life and the importance of opportunity. Schultz said she grew up in a family with many rules, but not many barriers. “When I was six, I told my dad that I wanted to be a professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys,” Schultz said. “My dad replied, ‘Allison, you can be anything you want to be.’ This is not an answer most little girls got in 1968.” The influence of her dad, combined with the influence of strong women in her family and in her professional life (her hidden mentors as she warmly referred to them), provided her the guidance she needed to be the best version of herself she could be. She encouraged attendees to be positive mentors and to help others succeed by creating equal opportunities for everyone.
Allison Schultz, president and CEO of Southern Aluminum.
During the town-hall style discussion panel, Commissioners learned of the issues that concern women in the Southwest Arkansas labor force. The dominant response from attendees was the cost and availability of childcare. One employer spoke on behalf of the more than 100 women in the company’s workforce, stating that childcare was a dominant factor in employee attendance and retention, which creates a financial hardship on families and a productivity hardship on employers.
SAU invited a group of female students to attend the meeting, among which was La’Nyce Hemphill, the current Miss Sweetheart of Arkansas who also placed third runner-up in the Miss Arkansas pageant this past summer. Hemphill volunteered to speak on behalf of the young women in attendance. After inspiring words from Hemphill, she said, “It’s so important to teach our young women that it doesn’t matter if you think you can’t do it. It matters if you put your mind to it, breaking those barriers and overcoming those obstacles.”
For more information about the Arkansas Women’s Commission, the Governor’s proclamation, and to view recorded meetings, visit https://women.arkansas.gov/.
