A Day of Learning, Laughter, and Sisterhood at the I Refer Her Women’s Conference

The I Refer Her Women’s Conference seminar sessions were nothing short of inspiring! Pastor Valina Tyler, author of Grow Morning, kicked off the day with “I Woke Up Like This,” reminding us to embrace every morning as a new opportunity to grow and walk boldly in our purpose. Next up was Nurse Toni Sonko, RN, with her powerful and practical session, “Health is Wealth.” This was where the “aha moments” really started flowing. She opened our eyes to the importance of caring for our health—physically, mentally, and spiritually—as the foundation for everything else we do. We continued the morning with “I Love Myself,” led by Pastor Onnie Allen from WomenFirst Transition and Referral Center. Her warm and funny teaching style reminded us that self-love is a daily choice. We laughed, reflected, and realized that no matter our color, size, or background, we share far more in common than we often think. During lunch, we enjoyed a special treat—a talented comedian who had the room roaring with laughter! It was the perfect reminder that laughter truly is medicine for the soul. After lunch, we heard an inspiring story from a woman who rose through her career and now teaches business etiquette as a representative of Enterprise Car Sales. Her journey was a testament to hard work, determination, and grace. Lafreda Ceasar then led a heartfelt session on Unity in Community, showing how personal growth is tied to the strength of our connections. We also celebrated the power of mentorship as several mentor–mentee teams shared how those relationships have helped them grow, both personally and professionally. Our final sessions of the day prepared us for battle—both natural and spiritual. LaVonda Johnson, founder of The Grace Effect PDX LLC, empowered us with her dynamic message, “Battle Armor.” She reminded us that preparation, prayer, and perseverance are the keys to standing strong in every season of life. She was followed by Bruce Elliott from Team Quest, who closed out the day with a powerful self-defense session, equipping us with practical tools to protect ourselves and move through the world with confidence and courage. By the end of the day, we were refueled, refocused, and ready to take on the world—mind, body, and spirit. It was a day of wisdom, laughter, and empowerment—a true reflection of what I Refer Her stands for: women uplifting, inspiring, and strengthening one another to keep rising.