WOMEN OF WESTERN NEW YORK

Michelle Barron
Putting The SpotLight On Women
This National Women’s Month, BWNY spoke with Michelle Barron of Buffalo, New York,
founder and director of Women in the Spotlight Goinglobal (WITSGG) and Dress For Success.
Proudly born and raised in Buffalo, in a family of seven: three brothers, one sister, her mother
and father. Ms. Barron states, “there are no plans to leave home, I love this city and where it is
going,” however; WITSGG has chapters in Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina with
members within the network as far as Canada. She shares her home and heart with two female
Jack Russell’s, she deems them crazy.
In 2009, Michelle had the idea of establishing a grassroots organization of women helping
women and establishing camaraderie among women entrepreneurs. Sharing her vision with
eight women who were and still are major contributors to the success of then, “Women
in the Spotlight,” (WITS) Michelle decided to go global and created WITSGG. An
organization she says, “they may not all be entrepreneurs, but are career-driven
women,” these women she calls, “unsung leaders.” WITSGG hopes that every
woman that joins in membership shares information and supports each other.
Finding herself unemployed in 2009, Michelle said, was an experience she
would never forget; not for the grief of unemployment, but because of the
push it gave her to grow and stay driven. “You have to face adversity and
be able to pull yourself up by your boot straps,” she says as she gives out
a sigh of relief. Michelle admits support is how WITSGG got its strong
foundation and gives credit to the women that have supported her and
the organization over the years. Exclaiming she chose the eight women
Michelle Barron
director of Women in the Spotlight
by: Miko Nole
for their strengths and skills that they have created and built on in
some way. Its membership is based on who may benefit or be a
benefit to the mission of the organization; which is to ‘spotlight,’
empower, educate, and inspire women to be the architects of
change. “There is power in women having access to information,”
she said, and that information is free and readily available on
WITSGG’s Facebook; however, by invitation only.
When asked why she advocates for women she said, “I believe
there is always room for women to advocate, support, empower,
and be a confidant to each other and I want to promote that.”
The membership into WITSGG is private enough to warrant
interest and investment but not so private to presume exclusion
or ineligibility.
In April 2016, Michelle Barron will receive the Mary B. Talbert
Award who, according to her, “is an example of what it means
to empower other women and create a sisterhood.” Once invited
into the WITSGG organization, women are privy to a wealth of
information and encouraged to market themselves and keep an eye out
for women they feel will benefit or be an asset to the organization.
The spotlight is on all women that have the drive to succeed and the
courage to empower. “There’s no color line when it comes to empowering
women; it’s the quality of the woman that matters most,” says Barron.
With a woman running in the US Presidential race, slowly clinching the
democratic ticket, all women realize how satisfying the long the fight
for equality has been and how each generation of girls will continue
to fight the good fight towards advancement as long as they have the
encouragement and support of other women.
“IF THERE IS ONE THING I WANT TO GET ACROSS IS THAT
WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER
I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR WOMEN TO
ADVOCATE, SUPPORT, EMPOWER, AND BE A CONFIDANT.”
Hair: Carla Foster, Black Butterfly Hair Salon • MUA: Winnifer Guerrero
Michelle Barron
Jewelry: LSI (Like Sisters Inseparable) • Lash Tech: Jennifer Reagan • Photo: Xavier’s