Women of the World Festival brings community leaders, members together for a day of empowerment
The Women of the World or 'WOW' Festival took over downtown Baltimore on Saturday. Leaders, community members, and game-changers celebrated women's achievements while addressing their challenges.
Dominique Dawes, three-time Olympian and Maryland native, was recognized and awarded for her achievements while serving as the festival's headliner. WJZ's very own Denise Koch had a sit-down conversation with Dawes during the event as well.
The WOW Festival, founded by Jude Kelly in the United Kingdom in 2010, has brought together over five million people through these events across six continents.
"I started it because I was a woman in the arts. I'm a senior woman in the arts," Kelly explained. "And I felt as if there just weren't enough stories of the lives of girls and women being told across the world about all the things we've achieved, all the success, the many battles that we had to face, the ones that we still have to face."
Kelly's vision is to bring together leaders, changemakers, and community members to celebrate women's achievements and find solutions to overcome inequities.
"And I thought if we could get together and celebrate the ideas together, and the history together, then we could have a much greater excitement about what change could look like," Kelly told WJZ's Janay Reece.
Baltimore was selected as one of two locations in North America where the festival is held every other year. Maricka Oglesby is the executive producer for the WOW Festival in Baltimore and helped bring the event to life in Charm City.
"We are celebrating the strengths of the women and girls who build, care, and create Baltimore. It is about the stories, the real grit, the perseverance and resilience of our city and our women and girls and the contributions they made," Oglesby explained.
The day is filled with live panels, performances, and interactive workshops on mental health, creativity, and activism.
Chinenye Ofor and her friends are a part of the Hill-Lopes scholars program at Towson University. On Saturday, they were among the nearly 500 attendees at the Women of the World 'WOW' Festival.
"I think it's just nice to see what's going on in the community and all over the world," Chinenye Ofor said. "Nice to see women from like different disciplines at different places all over the world, take what they really believe in and what they learn and translate it into everyday action and belief and tangible efforts."
"I think that as a young student...it's really important to see that representation and to just be able to learn from them," McKenzie Horne said.
"I just thought it was a really good opportunity to, you know, come and like, immerse myself into a different area," Izzy Cole said.
Jude Kelly made it clear that the festival is not only for women, but men too: "...it's something where I say, if you know a woman or you're a woman, it's for you."
Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU), a private Catholic institution established in 1895 to educate leaders to transform the world, served as the event's main sponsor.
"We are very proud to be the first Catholic College for Women to award the Baccalaureate degree in the country. So great alignment with the viewpoints of WOW, and many in demand, academic programs," Carroll Galvin, the VP for Institutional Advancement and University Communications at NDMU, said. "[We are] really looking to help the community."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Here's How to Get Local Channels With Sling TV
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Although Sling TV offers dozens of channels, including ESPN, Fox News, CNN, Lifetime, Disney Channel, Bravo, Comedy Central, TNT, TBS and others, you can only access local channels, like ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS and more, in select markets. However, when you pair Sling TV with a digital HD antenna and one of the company's streaming devices, you have an impressive lineup of channels that's accessible just about anywhere. More from Variety UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Rountree Jr. Livestream - Here's How to Watch the MMA Event Online Live for Free PFL World Tournament 2025: How to Watch PFL 6 Lightweights, Bantamweights & Women's Flyweights Live Online How to Watch 2025 NCAA Men's College World Series Live With Hulu + Live TV Right now, you can save up to $150 off list prices on the AirTV 2 or AirTV Anywhere when prepay for Sling TV. These devices are great for incorporating local broadcast channels with Sling TV — all in one app or TV guide. Get the Sling AirTV Here's how they work: Connect the included digital HD TV Antenna to the AirTV 2 or AirTV Anywhere and log-on to your home Wi-Fi network to start streaming. After the system searches for local broadcast networks in your area, you'll be able to get these channels within the Sling TV user menus and guides. This is one of the best ways to stream local TV, along with premium networks, on your smart TV, smartphone, tablet, laptop and other internet-connected devices with the Sling TV app. And best of all? You can watch on multiple devices and record with their DVR features. This comes in handy if you want to watch a TV show that comes on at a certain time, but you're out of the house. Includes HD Antenna Buy Now at Sling $49 when you prepay for 3 months of Sling TV (a $149.94 value). The Sling AirTV 2 comes with two TV tuners, so you can watch up to two devices at the same, while it records programs when you connect your own external hard drive to it. Includes HD Antenna Buy Now at Sling $99 when you prepay for 3 months of Sling TV (a $244.98 value). The Sling AirTV Anywhere comes with four tuners, so you can watch up to four devices at the same. The streamer comes with a built-in hard drive for recording programs on-device. Buy Now at Sling Free when you prepay for 2 months of Sling TV (a $79.99 value). In addition, AirTV Mini doesn't get access to local channels, but it's one of the best ways to stream Sling TV (and other streaming apps like Netflix) on your TV. Get the Sling AirTV Learn more about Sling TV, AirTV 2, AirTV Anywhere and AirTV Mini here. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aufgusshow 2025 Wraps Up: Canada Crowns Its First National Sauna Performance Champions
WHITBY, Ontario, June 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada's inaugural National Sauna Performance Championship, Aufgusshow 2025, concluded this week at Thermea Spa Village Whitby, marking a major milestone for Canadian wellness culture. Hosted by Groupe Nordik, the three-day event welcomed more than 400 guests from across Canada and showcased 18 captivating performances by 20 talented Aufgussmeisters representing six spas across Ontario, Manitoba, and Quebec. Each routine was a fully choreographed sensory experience combining scent, steam, heat, music, and storytelling to bring the traditional Aufguss ritual to life on a theatrical stage. The competitors were evaluated by a panel of four European-certified judges based on creativity, scent composition, wave technique, storytelling and the overall guest experience. After an exciting lineup of solo and duo routines, the first place winners announced included: Jad Maalouf, Nordik Spa Village (Solo Category) Xavier Drouin-Hill & Zacharie Drouin-Hill (Duo Category) The second place winners included: Abigail Gillies, Thermea Spa Village Whitby (Solo Category) Kasha Kostrezewa & Jacqueline Mason, Thermea Spa Village Whitby (Duo Category) The third place winner included: Evens Dominique, Förena Cité thermale (Solo Category) The winners will go on to represent Canada at the Aufguss World Master Championships at Aquardens in Verona, Italy from September 15 to 21, 2025. The second place winners will have the opportunity to compete in the Playoffs taking place at SATAMA Sauna Resort & Spa in Wendisch Rietz, Germany from August 28 to 31, 2025 offering a final chance to qualify for the World Championships. 'This was more than a wellness event, it was a historic cultural moment,' said Martin Paquette, CEO and Founder of Groupe Nordik. 'We witnessed artistry, storytelling, and tradition come to life, and we're incredibly proud of the performers who brought it to the stage for the first time in Canada. Aufgusshow marks the beginning of an exciting new tradition, and we're thrilled to announce that Aufgusshow 2026 will return to Thermea Spa Village Whitby next year as we continue to grow and celebrate sauna culture here at home.' All performances took place inside Logga, North America's largest event sauna, which seated 90 guests per show. Attendees enjoyed not only the live performances but also full access to the Spa Village, including thermal baths, saunas, and outdoor relaxation spaces. For More InformationTo view event photos, competitor bios, and behind-the-scenes content, visit our media kit and enter the password: Aufgusshow2025. For more information, visit the Aufgusshow website and subscribe to Thermea Spa Village Whitby's newsletter to be the first to receive updates, dates, and early ticket access for Aufgusshow 2026. Interview RequestsFor media inquiries or to schedule interviews with the winners, please contact: Daisy RaudalesMedia Relations for Thermea Spa Village Whitby289-387-3185daisy@ About Groupe NordikGroupe Nordik is proudly Canadian-owned and headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec. With nearly 20 years of experience in the wellness industry, the journey began in 2005 with the opening of Nordik Spa Village in Chelsea. Since then, two more Spa Villages have opened in Winnipeg (2015) and Whitby (2022). Today, Groupe Nordik employs over 800 people across its corporate office in Gatineau and spa locations throughout Canada. As a North American leader in wellness, the group is an innovator that brings entertainment to the spa experience — blending global traditions with a strong sense of home. Each of its Spa Villages offers the widest selection of wellness experiences for both body and mind, all in one place. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Judge denies R. Kelly a release from prison, but lawyer want his conviction vacated
Judge denies R. Kelly a release from prison, but lawyer want his conviction vacated Show Caption Hide Caption R. Kelly seeks immediate prison release over alleged murder plot R. Kelly's attorneys have filed an emergency motion requesting his immediate release over claims that officials solicited a fellow inmate to murder him in prison. unbranded - Entertainment A Chicago judge ruled that her court can't release R. Kelly, to home confinement, denying his lawyers' efforts to have the convicted "Ignition" singer removed from prison. The motion for Kelly's release, filed June 17 in the Chicago court in which he was originally convicted, comes after his legal team alleged the singer overdosed on medication given to him by prison staff last week The 58-year-old singer has been serving a 30-year sentence for racketeering and sex trafficking since 2022. He is serving his sentence in the Federal Correctional Institute facility in Butner, North Carolina. The motion for release claimed Kelly's life is in imminent danger. However, Judge Martha Pacold denied the motion June 19, according to a ruling obtained by USA TODAY, saying her court doesn't have the jurisdiction it needs. Pacold's ruling specified that the denial did not take a side on Kelly's claims that his alleged overdose was a "murder plot" by the Bureau of Prisons. The singer's team team claimed three Bureau of Prisons officials allegedly devised a plot to have him killed by another inmate. The attorneys allege that after being placed in a solitary confinement setting earlier this month, prison staff provided him an "overdose quantity" of medication compared to his normal anxiety and sleep medication dosages, leading to his hospitalization. They also claimed that Kelly, born Robert Kelly, was sent to Duke University Hospital and then removed allegedly against medical advice by law enforcement officials as he was also seeking medical treatment for blood clots. The Bureau of Prisons has declined to comment on "pending litigation" to USA TODAY. Pacold's ruling also canceled a planned hearing scheduled for Friday, June 20. In the government's response to Kelly's emergency motions, federal prosecutors have called his claims "fanciful" and "theatrical." In addition to logistical issues − including being filed at the wrong court and location, using the wrong kind of case and not following proper procedure − federal prosecutors said Kelly's motion "makes a mockery of the harm suffered by Kelly's victims" and they accused him of being a "master manipulator." If Kelly were to be released from prison to home confinement, despite "separate 30-year and 20-year sentences" handed down by New York City and Chicago courts, "every convicted murderer, rapist, and terrorist will have a newfound shot at freedom," the response continued. More: R. Kelly hospitalized after prison overdose, alleged murder plot, lawyers say R. Kelly's lawyer will file to vacate his convictions in Chicago, he says After Pacold's June 19th ruling, Kelly's lawyer Beau Brindley said he would file a new effort to vacate Kelly's convictions in Chicago in their entirety, based on what he called "newly discovered evidence." Brindley also stated his request would call for an immediate release on bond, "pending its litigation." "We are not surprised by this ruling as we knew that technical jurisdiction would be a challenge under these circumstances. However, we had no choice but to act immediately given explicit evidence of a threat to Robert Kelly's life," Brindley alleged in a statement provided to USA TODAY. As of the issuance of this statement on June 19, Brindley and his team had not yet filed their new motion. R. Kelly asks for pardon from President Donald Trump The back-and-forth between the singer's lawyer and the Chicago-area judge is the latest in a week-long series of events and public statements from Kelly's legal team and federal prosecutors regarding his condition and conviction. In addition to the motion for home confinement, Brindley also made a public plea to President Donald Trump for a pardon for the singer. "It is this immediate and imminent threat that compels us again to seek the intervention of President Trump," Brindely said in a June 17 statement. "The courts do not move as quickly as the efforts to kill this man. President Trump may be the only person who can save the life of R. Kelly." Contributing: Taijuan Moorman
