Happy #DigitalSisterhood Wednesday! Guess what I’m doing today? Launching #DigitalSisterhoodat50 Lessons, a five-week blog series that will reveal the five key lessons I have learned while cultivating relationships and working with women online.
COMMUNITY is #DigitalSisterhoodat50 Lesson 1. In 1995, I visited an Internet Cafe at the United Nations (UN) Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. It’s hard to believe that it happened 20 years ago. I was 30 and on the brink of a major career and life reinvention. When I walked into the UN Internet Cafe, I saw women from around the globe reading and sending emails, accessing web sites, and having face-to-face conversations. In a matter of seconds, I realized how powerful women are when they connect and build community in the digital space. I left the cafe and conference determined to keep in touch with three women from Boston (MA), Nairobi (Kenya), and Greensboro (NC) who later became my first community of digital sisters via regular e-mail sharing. 
Tonight, I was reminded of the importance of COMMUNITY among women online when I attended the DC Web Women’s (DCWW) Entrepreneurial Speaker series held at the Uber offices. DCWW is one of my strongest and nurturing #DigitalSisterhood communities. It uses a group of daily listservs to share events, information, resources, and opportunities; provide feedback and support; and celebrate women’s accomplishments each Friday via a brag thread. The group also sponsors in-person events including job fairs, networking socials, workshops, and speaker series. I am really grateful for all my fellow DC Web Women do to build and celebrate COMMUNITY. Do you have a #DigitalSisterhood COMMUNITY? How has it helped you?
Ananda Leeke 