Outside the banquet room at Antique Rose Ville Friday, one observer commented the sound was like a bee hive buzzing. To another, it was the cackle of hens. Actually it was the nearly 80 woman talking all at one time as two circles moved in opposite directions, one person at a time. It was the meet and greet at the annual Greater Iberia Chamber of Commerce INSPIRE event. The fun and games were laced with empowerment for women to be their authentic selves — a workshop conducted by two millenials from Baton Rouge who created an event business to help other women experience what they were doing to fulfill their own personal goals — with calculated risks.

Power Pump Girls Inc. is a nonprofit training and empowering team comprised of Sherin Dawud and Raina Vallot, with more than 400 female advisors, fans and practioners of the magnetic courage to engage the dream every woman has — uniquely belonging to them. The team’s focus for the day was to help women define their own authenticity by identifying how and where they can be more real with themselves and others. Then, discover where to insert experience, expertise and perspective for the better by advocating for others.

By the end of the day, Dawud and Vallot exposed their personal mission — to provide female sanitary products to homeless women. Forgotten by society and the masses, personal hygeine necessities are needed by every woman past puberty. Regardless of the attendees personal goals, their lives and the lives of those around them will be better for the hours they spent with the Power Pump Girls — and one another.