New President Wants Junior League to Reconnect With the Community Through its Upcoming Projects

For Kim Ferreira, newly-appointed president of Pasadena Junior League of Pasadena Inc. (JLP), the organization’s goal this year is to reconnect with the community through upcoming projects aimed at helping women develop their business, entrepreneurship and leadership skills.

“My goal this year, as we’re coming out of the lockdown version of the pandemic — and out of a very virtual world for a group of women who are very used to getting hands-on with our community partners and with the people who need our services in the community — is to help our organization reconnect, not just with each other, but also with our longtime partners and with new partners in the community,” Ferreira told Pasadena Now. 

Earlier this month, Ferreira was named president of the Junior League Pasadena in the organization’s 95th year.

Prior to her appointment, Ferreira served in a variety of roles within the organization over the past 10 years.

For this year, Ferreira said projects presently underway are focused on the development of women’s business, entrepreneurship and leadership skills, which the organization believes is one of the most pressing needs in Pasadena right now. 

“Every year we coordinate and plan workshops for women who need our assistance. And those workshops are provided free of charge. We bring in experts to assist us in a variety of ways in leading women in the focus area that I talked about, which was business entrepreneurship and leadership skills,”  Ferreira said.

In line with this focus, Ferreira said the organization will be offering free workshops on a variety of topics in the coming months, among them resume writing, social media management and graphic design.

Ferreira believes these workshops will greatly benefit women further their advocacy in the community.

JLP members also receiving special training.

“Our members receive training in organizational management, advocacy, community leadership, graphic design, social media marketing and many other skills through their work with the Junior League of Pasadena,” she said.

“I think it’s really important, especially right now, as we’ve all felt so isolated for the past 18 months, to know that there’s an organization out there like this that is here for you — here to help you develop the skills that you need in the community of Pasadena and our surrounding areas,” she said. 

On Oct. 6, the league will host a recruitment event to start bringing in new members interested in joining, according to Ferreira.

Ferreira also announced that the league’s annual fund will start in mid-October. 

“The annual fund is the number one way that funds and donations and giving are driven to our organization and help support us every year,” she said.

The organization is currently working on the schedule of its upcoming activities for summer 2022, according to Ferreira. 

The JLP has been working to improve local communities through leadership and effective action since its founding in 1926. 

In the past months, the JLP virtually supported dozens of other community organizations in the city including the Boys and Girls Club of Pasadena. 

For more about the Junior League of Pasadena, visit www.pasadena.jl.org .