The home of Mayor Eric Garcetti and First Lady Amy Elaine Wakeland was the place to be on Feb. 11 as it was the host to the Celebrating Rosa Parks and Susan B. Anthony annual luncheon.

The event was part of the Women’s Leadership Series to celebrate the birthdays of these incredible women who advocated for women’s rights. The message behind this event was to show young high school girls from throughout the Los Angeles area the importance of pursuing your dreams no matter the obstacles you face.

This was the fourth annual luncheon held at the Mayor’s home and included a panel of guest speakers such as Wakeland, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán, Airport Commissioner Bea Hsu, General Manager of the Department of Transportation Seleta Jewel and CEO of LA World Airport Deborah Fint. They talked about their roles as women in power and the journey behind it as well as the many difficulties they faced while trying to get to where they are today.

“Take what makes you great and have that set you apart,” Jewel said as advice to young girls striving to achieve their dreams.

Aside from the panelist, CEO of Lady Rebranded, Rachel D, spoke about her journey and what it meant to be able to work with the company WeWork.

“I’m so proud of the work that the Mayor’s office is doing for women and girls and the support from companies like WeWork,” D said.

With many students in attendance, including several from Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, they were sure to gain exposure for the future and valuable advice to use throughout their future careers from this liberating experience.