ProWoc Founding Members: 9th March 2019, Copenhagen Marriott Hotel
(Left to right) Caroline Onyango-Dyregaard, Jacqueline Wanja Nyoro, Juliet Biira Hansen, Ifeoma Okpala, Nyeleti Nkuna, Linda Gono Poulsen, Carriene Rendbo, Sheilla Adjei Obdrup, Phaedria Marie St.Hilaire, Cinthia Thompsen, Belinda Bramsnæs, Nani Braham, Selim Ablo-Nielsen, and Thuli Skosana Ricci.
Our History
ProWoc was founded on 9th March 2019 by Selim Ablo-Nielsen and Phaedria Marie St.Hilaire. Fourteen (14) women participated in the inaugural meeting and now our membership numbers are more than 200 women.
Selim was inspired to form ProWoc when she identified a need for an organisation focused on helping professional women of colour, to advance their careers, strengthen their networks, and promote positive images of women of colour by raising their profile.
Why we founded a group for professional women of colour in Denmark
“What inspired me to start ProWoc was the desire to empower women and the need for positive images of women of colour in the public. It was essential to have more role models for children given the sometimes the negative public discourse and media images,” – Selim Ablo-Nielsen
“Selim had this idea of starting a network to encourage and empower professional women of colour and I agreed that there is a dearth of role models, especially for the second-generation kids of colour, besides, helping women in navigating the Danish job market was necessary and ProWoc would provide a greater platform for the mentoring work that I was already doing.” – Phaedria Marie St. Hilaire.
Since March 2019, ProWoc continues to grow and deliver high-value programming for our members. We continue to be a voice for intersectional diversity and inclusion and work with allies to create sustainable change. Here are some of the highlights.
2019
- First networking meeting
June
- CV Workshop – A collaboration with Unique Human Capital
September
- First public appearance at International Citizens Day
2020
May
- Launch of the Mentoring programme – A collaboration with Djøf
August
- First Sponsor of ProWoc – Yvonne Seier Christensen
September
- Launch Exclusive Conversations
November
- First speaking engagement: Women Entrepreneur Day
2021
February
- First mainstream Danish media – Børsen Weekend front page.
March
- Launch of Coaching Program, ProWAccelerate
May
- Participation in SDU conference on non-Danish Labour
June
- First Corporate Sponsorship – Deloitte Denmark
ProWoc acknowledges the many contributions and hard work of the previous ProWoc Board Members who freely and generously volunteered their time and energy towards growing the organization.
Network Membership
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ProWoc provides a shared platform for WoC to connect, grow, evolve, and affect change in the world around them.
Member profiles
Questions?
We welcome your interest and questions. Please contact us directly and we will be happy to answer and tell you more about ProWoc.