Earlier this week, on December 11, the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s (CWCC) leadership recognition event featured two women leaders: a happiness expert and a social justice fighter at its annual Athena Leadership Award luncheon at the Grand Hyatt in Denver.

The CWCC selected the Honorable Wilma J. Webb as the 2024 recipient for her lifelong dedication to the civil rights movement, which included her pivotal role in establishing the Centennial State’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday four decades ago.

During a sit-down interview with the CWCC CEO Simone Ross, Mrs. Webb shared her inspiring journey of persistence, acceptance, betrayal, comeback, and resilience she faced as a Black female legislator who pushed for social change.

“It was not easy,” explained Webb, who shared the story of being accused of an ethics violation -vote trading- by a colleague because, as she explained, “because of the type of legislation I was interested in. I was making an impact on a legislature when there were only two Black members in the house, Arie Taylor and myself. I was influencing 65 members and getting them and the Senate to agree [on passing the King holiday bill]. I was making a difference, and someone did not like that.”  Mrs. Webb was exonerated of all charges.

In closing her interview with Mrs. Webb, Ross asked what the audience could do to carry her legacy forward, emphasizing women’s significant role.

“Women have to continue to be very vigilant about maintaining the rights they have in the workplace, concerning their health, concerning their education, concerning their families, and moving the point where we’ve come ever further than where we are,” said Mrs. Webb, the former First Lady of Denver and the wife of Wellington E. Webb. She mentors many women in Colorado politics and is a great role model for others.

The event also featured keynote speaker Elle Benson, a researcher who presented her equation for happiness: Happiness = Reality - Expectations.

Benson says three key practices impact an individual’s overall well-being:

Gratitude (expressing thankfulness)

Novelty (shifting from adaptive to more interactive behaviors)

Altruism (contributing to the well-being of others)

She encouraged the predominantly female audience to consider incorporating these practices into their personal and professional lives for more fulfillment.

Event sponsors included Bank of America, the Community College of Denver Foundation, GlobalMinded, The Webbs, and many other businesses.

The Athena Award program was an uplifting tribute to the power of female leaders and changemakers who help create a more just and equitable society.

‍