Women and What WE-DO
Winning Awards with Erin Curley
How does a woman go about starting a business in a traditionally male dominated field, like architecture? How does she stick to her vision when men question her ability as a woman? Erin Curley attributes hard work, sacrifice and determination to not only succeeding, but receiving awards like AIA Toledo’s Emerging Professional Award in 2015 and Northwest Ohio Women’s Business Council WE-DO Second Act Award in 2023. Hear more about Erin’s values, why she gives back to her community, and how she found support in family and colleagues to take the plunge and start her own Architecture Firm.
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Meet Your Host Mary K. Brucker
Raised an Eastsider full of grit, Mary's passion has always been to be a force that changed her community and the world with positivity, generosity and kindness. After a successful career with 20 years working for corporate America in Fortune 500 companies, she chose to follow her true calling in life- connecting with people. Mary uses her story telling talents to show people the power they hold within themselves. After starting her own company, she focused on conducting people-focused training to show companies their true assets- the people they serve and work with. After starting her theater company, she saw the magic of giving our youth the space to find themselves, the tools to speak up and advocate for themselves, and the responsibility of sharing their experiences to help inspire others. Mary knows the power of connecting with communities and creating opportunities to support women in the workplace, marketplace, community, and family. Mary's energy, experience, humor and positive attitude help support women and youth to imagine their goals, encourage them to find ways to achieve them, and the platform to inspire others with their stories.
Meet Your Host Sierra Ortiz
Sierra is a native to Toledo, Ohio and grew up on land belonging to the Miami Indigenous tribe. She is the Associate Director at Women of Toledo, where she works to educate, engage, and empower women and youth to keep moving forward. The granddaughter of migrant workers, and the daughter of a prolific Latinx leader, she is an advocate for the marginalized, underserved, and underrepresented. She understands her privilege and platform, and looks to tell the stories of community members who are revitalizing her city as well as those who have put in effort to make the city a safe and welcoming place for all people. She knows there is much work to be done in the world, but believes that listening to the stories and wisdom of women can make a larger impact on the world, one community at a time.
Thank You
Voices Around Us® is supported in part by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated by the City of Toledo and the Lucas County Commissioners and administered by The Arts Commission.
