Schechter Westchester alumna Antoinette Klatzky of the Eileen Fisher Leadership Institute (EFLI) spoke during the Special Program block today about how best to make a difference in the world as an individual.
“It starts from within, it starts with ourselves, and it starts with the decisions we make each day,” Klatzky said.
Eileen Fisher, the fashion designer, established EFLI in 2010 with the goal of promoting leadership in young women through self-empowerment, connection and activism. Since then, EFLI has expanded to include young men in their program, through which senior Jonah Listokin connected to Klatzky and was able to invite her to speak.
“I think that Schechter students have a lot to learn from [Klatzky],” Listokin said. “She knows so much about the world and is really is making things happen, on a local level and on a wider scale as well.”
Klatzky said she was driven to be a part of because of the “world of social justice and many injustices” she saw people faced every day.
Most students said they felt inspired after listening to Klatzky speak.
“I think today’s program was empowering,” freshman Eliza Loewenberg said, “because it was focused on how women could be leaders and help change the world.”
“The message was really great,” sophomore Morgan Salomon said. “I really liked what she was saying about empowering women and helping people across the world. Although I thought the way she presented it was just a little boring and at times it was hard to keep track and focus.”
Despite some slight inattentiveness among the audience, she even managed to engage faculty members, one of whom asked Klatzky what advice she had for the community.
“Look at your mistakes,” Klatzky said. “Look at something that seems to be a failure, and then look at it as a place where you could try and continue to learn something new about yourselves. Those mistakes might actually be leading you to a new and better version of yourself.”
