BPW Concordia continues to set the pace for women’s empowerment through its transformative ‘Members in Motion’ series; this time, shining a spotlight on the powerful concept of cultural currency. On July 2nd, members gathered for an inspiring session hosted by passionate BPW Concordia member Cindy Peters, featuring a presentation and captivating sit-down interview with cultural advocate and storyteller Tamara Groeneveldt.
Under the theme “Members in Motion: What is Your Cultural Currency?”, the session highlighted the true value that our cultural knowledge, traditions, language, symbols, and practices hold in our daily lives, institutions, and collective prosperity. Through an engaging conversation-style interview, Cindy Peters invited author, poet, and business owner Tamara Groeneveldt, who shared about her literary journey with her poetry and first book “After the Storm”. The owner of St. Martin Sweetness explained how she recognized and harnessed her own cultural currency through her cultural poetry and her business of local pastries and juices.
Drawing from the work of renowned sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, Peters emphasized that indeed cultural knowledge acts as a form of capital, a currency that shapes our experiences, expands our opportunities, and is a necessary tool, especially in colonial spaces, to strengthen our communities and development.
Participants were encouraged to recognize, embrace, promote, protect, and monetize their cultural wealth in ways that build social influence, preserve identity, and generate economic and political empowerment for Caribbean women and our communities.
Ms. Peters expounded on key recommendations from a Forbes 2019 article ,which included:
- Always be consumer and citizen-centric
- Partner with creatives
- Start small
- Focus on a long-term strategy
- Build diverse teams
The session concluded with a special treat from St. Martin Sweetness: Ms. Groeneveldt graciously presented attendees with locally made tarts, offering everyone a delicious and tangible taste of her own cultural heritage; a living example of how cultural currency can be shared and celebrated.
This energizing event is one of many through BPW Concordia’s Members in Motion initiative, designed to spark growth, advocacy, and collective action among professional women across the region.
“We listened, we absorbed, and now we’re ready to externalize and put these insights into practice,” said Peters. “Our heritage is our wealth and path to liberation, and it’s pivotal that we use it to uplift ourselves, our communities, and safeguard our destiny.y”
BPW Concordia extends heartfelt congratulations to Cindy Peters for spearheading this timely dialogue and deep gratitude to Tamara Groeneveldt for generously sharing her wisdom and her cultural flavors with our members.