On December 8, Holy Child screened “Dream, Girl”, a documentary which chronicles the lives of women entrepreneurs, which was followed by a panel discussion with local entrepreneurs. The talk was moderated by Heather Cabot, an angel investor, writer, and adjunct professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. A former ABC News anchor/correspondent, Cabot reports on digital trends for a number of news and syndicated daytime talk shows. She is also the co-author of “Geek Girl Rising”, which profiles powerful women in tech.
The event was organized by Kristine Budill, Director of Holy Child’s E.E. Ford Program in Architecture, Engineering & Design for the Common Good.
The evening’s panelists included: Hadley Pollet, a fashion designer; Saskia Sorrosa, CEO of Fresh Bellies, which creates preservative-free baby foods; and Caroline Danehy, a Colgate University student and co-founder and creative director of Fair Harbor Clothing, which uses environmentally responsible materials like recycled plastic bottles and organic cotton.
Holy Child junior Lillian Mahemedi was inspired by entrepreneurs who’ve funneled their interests into making products that fill a need or solve a problem. “Saskia Sorrosa’s story was especially interesting, because when she realized that picky eaters can develop from a young age, she set out to make a baby food line that would introduce babies to broader flavors sooner.”
Her classmate, Martina Garate-Griot, was impressed by the fact that Caroline Danehy was just a senior in high school when she started Fair Harbor.
Ms. Budill was pleased to bring together Heather Cabot with the panel of women entrepreneurs. “I wanted to show our students that pursuing your passion — even at an early age — is incredibly important, but it must be combined with hard work, a willingness to network, and a desire to seek out support from those who have traveled the path before you.”
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