DENVER -- The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame has launched Author's Corner, a free virtual event series featuring a variety of inductees. Denver7 is proud to support this series, which includes the following events:
“Over, Under, Around & Through” on Wednesday, April 28 features Jill Tietjen, PE and Carlotta LaNier
Jill Tietjen, PE is a professional engineer, expert witness for electric utilities, a board member on corporate boards, and an author of books focused on sharing women’s achievements. She has spent much of her life mentoring women in STEM, as well as acknowledging women’s achievements and getting them recognized. Her efforts have resulted in numerous women being selected by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame, as well as Admiral Grace Hopper receiving the National Medal of Technology. Tjetjen’s books span subjects from engineering to math to leadership to a timeline of women’s achievements. She has co-authored two Her Story books, as well as developed Her Story documents of women’s achievements in Africa to inspire the students in Africa. Her latest collaboration is with Dr. Elinor Greenberg to bring forth the wisdom of Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame Inductees and their approach to overcoming life’s challenges.
In 1957, at age 14, Carlotta Walls LaNier and eight other students integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Ark. This act of courage and defiance became the catalyst for change in the American educational system. Concerns for family safety and continued employment persuaded LaNier’s family to move to Denver in 1962. LaNier stayed in Colorado, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado and accepting a position at the Denver YWCA. Since then, she has married, raised two children, founded her own real estate company, and worked for 30 years as a real estate broker. In 1997 the Little Rock Nine returned to Central High School for a 40th anniversary celebration. In a symbolic and emotional gesture, the school’s principal, the mayor, the governor, and the President of the United States opened the school’s doors, which had been blocked by the Arkansas National Guard in 1957. In 1999 at the White House, members of Congress and the President bestowed upon LaNier and the other members of the Little Rock Nine the nation’s highest civilian award, the Congressional Gold Medal, for their sacrifice and contribution to the cause of equality. LaNier’s book, A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School, has been called “a searing and emotionally gripping account of a young black girl growing up to become a strong black woman during the most difficult time of racial segregation.”
“Protecting Women” on Wednesday, Aug. 25 features Lenore Walker, EdD and Marilyn Van Derbur Atler.
Lenore E. Walker has been a pioneer in the field of domestic violence in her private practice as well as at the state, national, and international levels. She is a licensed psychologist and, prior to moving to Florida, was president and chief executive officer of Walker & Associates of Denver. She also founded the Domestic Violence Institute, which conducts research on family violence. Lenore has been instrumental in the design and development of policy, training programs, and legislative reform and frequently testifies as an expert witness in legal actions involving abused persons. She wrote The Battered Woman, a groundbreaking book of interviews with abused women that won the Distinguished Media Award in 1979. She also wrote Getting It All: Women in the Eighties, Women and Mental Health and The Battered Woman Syndrome.
Crowned Miss America in 1958, Marilyn Van Derbur Atler became one of the most popular women to hold the title. A Denver native, Van Derbur Atler has become synonymous with public speaking. She has spoken to thousands of business and education groups all over the world. As a result of being sexually violated by her father from age five to age 18, her life shut down at age 45, and for six long years Van Derbur Atler struggled to overcome the memories and feelings that overwhelmed her. In 1989 she asked the Kempe National Center in Denver to begin an adult survivor program to help other men and women who were just beginning their healing process. Van Derbur Atler has spoken in 160 cities and personally answered over 7,000 letters from men and women whose adult lives have been traumatized by childhood sexual violations. Her most recent book is Miss America by Day: Lessons Learned from Ultimate Betrayals and Unconditional Love.
Each event runs from 5:30-6:30pm. The series is free, but registration is required. For more information and to register for the Author’s Corner events, visit www.cogreatwomen.org.