In a world where leadership is often shaped by those who have long held the microphone, Antoinette Hardy-Waller dared to pass it around. Ten years ago, she launched the Executive Women of Color (EWOC) Summit with a simple yet transformative vision: to cultivate a space where women of color in leadership could thrive unapologetically — not by fitting into existing systems, but by reshaping them.
Now, a decade later, EWOC is more than an annual summit — it is a movement. With over 3,500 participants, 600 organizations represented, and nearly 100% year-over-year satisfaction rates, the impact is undeniable. Attendees routinely cite career-defining mentorships, strategic board appointments, and transformative business connections as just a few of the summit’s outcomes.
“I started EWOC with a question,” Hardy-Waller reflects. “What if we stopped asking for permission to lead and simply created our own tables, our own rules, our own power structures — rooted in equity, excellence, and authenticity?”
That question has since been answered — powerfully. Over the past decade, EWOC has created strategic access to C-suites and boardrooms, secured sponsorships from Fortune 100 companies, and has assisted TLN in propelling more than 200 women into senior executive roles. More importantly, EWOC has created a sacred space for truth-telling, community-building, and generational empowerment.
At the core of the summit’s success is data-informed intention. Each year, rigorous post-summit analytics help fine-tune programming — from content design to speaker selection. “Our attendees don’t just want inspiration,” Hardy-Waller explains. “They want insight, measurable tools, and a roadmap to lead at scale. And we deliver.”
Over the past ten years, the EWOC Summit has not only been a gathering place for rising leaders — it has also become a powerful stage for some of the most respected and visionary voices in business, equity, and innovation.
From boardrooms to broadcast stages, EWOC has welcomed iconic leaders whose journeys embody the very principles the summit was built upon. Among them:
- Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO of Ariel Investments, delivered a riveting keynote on financial fluency as a form of power — reminding attendees that economic equity is foundational to lasting influence.
- Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, energized the audience with her groundbreaking story of becoming the NBA’s first Black female CEO — and the courage it took to lead with authenticity in spaces that weren’t built with her in mind.
- Rosalind “Roz” Brewer, one of only two Black women ever to helm a Fortune 500 company, joined EWOC to speak candidly about strategic leadership, bonds forged that transcend the lines of business, navigating pressure, and building inclusive ecosystems at scale.
- Minda Harts, bestselling author and founder of The Memo, led dynamic sessions on career advancement and workplace equity, helping attendees rewrite their own professional narratives with confidence and clarity.
And the list continues — from corporate board chairs to tech innovators, cultural critics to health equity pioneers — EWOC has become a space where insight meets access, and wisdom is passed from one generation of leaders to the next.
“These women didn’t just speak,” says Hardy-Waller. “They sparked transformation. Their presence reminded every woman in that room what was possible — and more importantly, that it was already within reach.”
As industries navigate a more complex and inclusive future, the role of EWOC has never been more vital. A 2024 report by McKinsey found that while women of color are entering the workforce in record numbers, their representation at the VP and C-suite levels still hovers below 6%. EWOC is not just responding to this data — it’s rewriting it.
“Impact isn’t a moment — it’s a model,” says Hardy-Waller. “The women who come to EWOC aren’t waiting for history to catch up to them. They’re creating it.”
As EWOC moves into its second decade, the commitment to curating powerful, representative, and forward-thinking voices remains stronger than ever. Because when women of color lead — and when they speak — the world changes.
As the 10-year anniversary draws in congratulatory messages, testimonials, and corporate acknowledgments, Hardy-Waller remains grounded in the summit’s founding mission: to elevate, equip, and empower executive women of color to lead boldly and without compromise.
“In 2015, we planted a seed,” she says with a smile. “Today, we are standing in a forest of legacy, brilliance, and unstoppable power. And we’re just getting started.”
