Gloria Vanderbilt once said: “I always believed that one woman’s success can only help another woman’s success.” At TedWomen 2017, 1,500 attendees gathered in New Orleans for three days to celebrate the success of women and to discuss building a better future. Here are some moments from the experience that stuck with me.

Gretchen Carlson, former Miss America and women’s empowerment activist, spoke about workplace sexual harassment, specifically in the entertainment and media industries. By publicly speaking about workplace harassment and publishing her book, “Be Fierce: Stop Harassment and Take Your Power Back,” she has inspired thousands of women to come forward with their stories of sexual harassment. Being a manager of a mostly female team, this topic is extremely important to me. Watch a past Ted Talk from Gretchen here.

Azim Khmisa of the Tariq Khamisa Foundation gave a compelling speech about forgiveness. Tariq, Azim’s son, was killed at 20 years old by 14-year-old gang member, Tony Hicks. Azim has developed a close relationship with Tony’s grandfather, Ples Felix. Together, they educate audiences on forgiveness and non-violent resolutions.

At TedWomen, I met women of different ages, professions, and walks of life. I spoke with financial planners, developers, stay at home moms, and CEOs – just to name a few. Women play many roles in their lives and it can get overwhelming. As a mother of three and a full-time professional, maintaining balance feels impossible and time for myself can be nonexistent. Attending TedWomen reminded me that I am not alone in these struggles, and that in order to build our future we must first lift each other up.