Let me say this from the start, this wasn’t just something I showed up to.
This was something I was part of. Something I helped open, but more importantly, something I felt alongside everyone else in that room.
Because when something is truly rooted in intention, you don’t just facilitate it, you experience it.
That’s exactly what happened on March 7, 2026, at 12:00 PM at Asbury Crestwood Church in Tuckahoe, where Women United of Westchester Social Club hosted their Women’s History Month Celebration & Networking Mixer.
On paper, it was a program: introductions, vendors, acknowledgments, a keynote.
But in reality?
It was alignment in motion.
Where Business Meets Purpose
From the moment people walked in, there was no rush, just a steady hum of conversation, laughter catching in corners, the soft clink of table setups still being adjusted. And woven throughout the room were touches of purple, flags placed intentionally, catching the light just enough to remind you what the day represented.
Not loud. Not overwhelming.
Just present.
The vendors weren’t just set up, they were present.
Marie Casado, founder of The Crafty Vet and a U.S. Navy veteran, brought a grounded creativity that reflected both discipline and heart. Liubov Kuper of Kuper Candles offered more than candles; there was intention in every detail, a quiet warmth that drew people in before they even asked a question.
Damaris Mone stood firmly in purpose as the first Hispanic-owned art gallery and boutique owner in Mount Vernon, reminding everyone that representation isn’t something you wait for; it’s something you build. Shameka James of Pressed By Queen brought luxury with accessibility, redefining what it means to show up confidently in your craft.
Cynthia Echevarria’s work through ESCAPEizm Threads and her fine art carried heritage in a way that felt lived, not curated. Adriana Erin Rivera held history in her words, and Diane Pratt of Bronxville Reiki created space for healing that felt grounded, not performative.
Nothing about this lineup was random.
It was thoughtful. It was aligned.
Holding the Room
As I stepped into the role of opening the program, I looked out and saw more than a crowd; I saw a connection already happening.
It didn’t feel like standing in front of people.
It felt like standing with them.
And when Maritza Fasack, Founder and CEO of Women United of Westchester Social Club, gave her remarks, it became clear why this space felt the way it did.
Because you don’t build something like this overnight.
Nearly 30 years in education. A mother. A woman who created a self-funded network where women show up for each other, not just when it’s easy, but when it’s needed.
That kind of leadership doesn’t need to be loud.
It shows up in the details. In the consistency. In the way people feel when they walk into the room.
Leadership in the Room, Not Above It
We had the presence of leaders across Westchester, County Executive Ken Jenkins, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Senator Shelley Mayer, Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky, Mayor Kara Kronen, and many others.
But what stood out wasn’t the titles.
It was how they moved through the space.
Shaking hands. Listening. Taking moments to engage, not just acknowledge. There was no visible separation between leadership and community, just people sharing the same room, the same purpose.
And that matters.
Because when leadership shows up in proximity instead of distance, trust has somewhere to grow.
Centering the Next Generation
At 1:45 PM, the energy shifted, not louder, but fuller, as the Youth WUW Girls, Destiny Kinsey and Annabella Alfano, stepped forward to announce the raffle winners.
People leaned in. Smiled. Listened.
It wasn’t just a transition in the program, it was a reminder.
Because when you intentionally give young girls space in rooms like this, you’re not just including them.
You’re preparing them.
Yolanda Martinez-Cruz carried that same intention as she introduced the young performers, creating a moment that felt less like a performance and more like a passing of something meaningful from one generation to the next.
“This Is Your Now” Was Felt, Not Just Heard
Then came the keynote.
Rev. Margaret Fountain-Coleman didn’t rush. She didn’t need to.
She spoke with the kind of clarity that comes from lived experience, about purpose, about service, about not waiting for the “right time” to step into what you’ve already been called to do.
“This Is Your Now” wasn’t just a theme.
It was a challenge.
As an educator, a former Trustee in Tuckahoe, and a woman deeply rooted in community work, her words carried weight because they’ve been tested over time.
At one point, the room went completely still, not out of obligation, but because people were with her. Listening in a way that felt personal.
And when Dr. Paula Russell presented her with an award, the applause didn’t feel automatic.
It felt earned.
More Than Networking
Let’s be honest, networking events can sometimes feel transactional.
This didn’t.
This felt like alignment.
Like people recognizing each other beyond introductions. Like conversations that would continue after the room emptied.
Women weren’t just exchanging information.
They were building something.
What Stayed With Me
When the program closed, no one rushed for the door.
People lingered. Conversations stretched. Laughter circled back.
And as I stepped back and took it all in, what stayed with me wasn’t just the structure of the event—it was the feeling it left behind.
Because spaces like this don’t happen by accident.
They’re built, with care, with intention, with consistency.
And what Women United of Westchester created on March 7 wasn’t just a gathering.
It was a reminder.
That when women come together with purpose, the room doesn’t just fill,
It shifts.
And once you’ve experienced that kind of shift, you don’t leave it behind.
You carry it with you.
If what you just read resonated with you, don’t just sit with it, step into it.
Women United of Westchester Social Club isn’t just hosting events, they’re building real community, creating space for connection, and showing what it looks like when women support each other with intention.
If you’re looking for a network that feels aligned, supportive, and rooted in purpose, this is where you tap in.
Learn more, get connected, and be part of what’s growing: https://www.womenunitedofwestchestersocialclubinc.org
