A safe space for women to share tales of inspiration, which was initially launched as a one-off event, is about to celebrate its tenth anniversary.

The Women’s Empowerment Summit, founded by Carla Zuill in 2016, will include a host of Bermudian female presenters sharing experiences on a variety of subjects from financial literacy to overcoming adversity.

The gathering scheduled at the CedarBridge Academy on November 29 will be followed by a “Power Breakfast” on November 30 at Thyme Restaurant.

Ms Zuill, who describes herself as a longtime journalist and thought leader, said the theme for this year’s summit is “A Decade of Excellence”and will celebrate the milestone while tackling topics of importance to women.

Ms Zuill told The Royal Gazette: “Ten years is no small feat, and it’s not yet sunken in what reaching this milestone really means.

“Ten years ago, I was preparing to leave Bermuda to live in Manchester in England and I felt the urge to organise the summit.

“The first was in November 2016, and it was impactful. The women loved it but the event was expensive to produce and I did it with a zero budget.

“I moved to Manchester the following month and thought that was it.

“The following summer, I got a message from someone asking when the next one would be held. When I said there was no next one, they questioned how I could leave them hanging — so I decided to carry on and here we are ten years later.

“The summit provides a safe space for women to come together and share their different journeys. We laugh together, we cry together but most importantly, we uplift each other.”

It includes Kidist Emery, entrepreneur and owner of Salon Pink, a training salon; Iesha Tucker Minors, the owner of financial planning business Budget Buddy; Chanika Darrell, an author who is part of the Made for More video series documenting powerful stories; and Tiara Webb, a masculine-presenting Black gay women who “explores the expectations, identities and survival codes many women carry with simultaneously”.

Ms Zuill said she prided herself on the fact that all of the speakers in the summit’s ten-year history have been Bermudian.

She added: “Bermuda is full of talented powerful women, so I have seen no need to look outside of Bermuda’s shores.”

There will be presentations, a panel discussion and a question-and-answer session.

Tiffany Whitter, a behavioural therapist and counsellor, will lead the panel discussion titled The Power of Female Friendships in the afternoon.

Ms Zuill added: “I chose Tiffany because she is a counsellor, and as women age, we find ourselves navigating shifts in our relationships with other women.

“Oftentimes, we simply have misunderstandings. It doesn’t mean it’s over, it might mean we have to pivot or heal. I will be on the panel and it is an interactive session with the audience.

“As this is a celebration of ten years, comedian Shuntae Todd will do a set to send everyone off on a high.

“It will be an uplifting day and an empowering day. We have capacity for 170 people at the summit and it is my hope it will be a sold-out event.”

Ms Zuill added that the Woman of the Year, selected annually through the event, has been decided but the choice will remain a surprise until the day.

The power breakfast, which can accommodate only 45 guests, will feature Garita Coddington, a former school principal who entered the corporate world, as guest speaker.

Ms Zuill said: “From a very young age, Garita has overcome adversity including losing her leg in a bike accident.

“She has always carried herself through them with grace. She is a transformational change leader and will talk to women about overcoming their challenges, rediscovering who they are and living with purpose.”

Mr Zuill said she has overcome her own share of challenges, not least a couple of years after she launched the summit.

She recalled: “In 2018, I was going through the worst time of my life and I felt I couldn’t do it. I was even contemplating killing myself.

“I thought, how can I do this summit when I am so broken? My good friend Tenyah Trott said to me, those women need you.

“I will never forget it — I could have ended my legacy because everything was crashing down around me but she pulled me through, and every year, I thank her because I really appreciate that.”

Ms Zuill wished to thank all those involved, not least Sharika Tucci, the managing director of Masterkey Management, which has sponsored the event every year since its launch.

She also thanked volunteers who help to make it a reality, including Sharelle Riley-Archibald, summit director.

Tickets to the summit are $110 for general admission and $150 for patron tickets. They include a light breakfast, buffet lunch and beverages, and can be ordered until the day before the conference. The summit will be hosted in the café at CedarBridge Academy from 10am until 4pm.

Tickets for the power breakfast at Thyme Restaurant, which are $150, include a buffet breakfast and must be ordered by November 13. It runs from 10am to 1pm.

All tickets are available from www.wesbermuda.com.

• Anyone needing financial support in order to attend can contact Carla Zuill via e-mail on wesbermuda1@gmail.com or phone on 400-5916