About Us

Our Story

Having participated in IWD celebrations for the last two years, Alexis and Liz decided to take on the organization of the annual event going forward, partnering with likeminded allies across the spectrum, and working to give Nashville a loving, exciting kick-off to a year of events, talks, and workshops across Middle Tennessee with the goal of furthering the path toward gender parity.

International Women's Day

Held each year on March 8th, it is a global celebration of the economic, cultural and political achievements of women and calls the world to action in prioritizing and achieving gender parity.

The first ever International Women's Day was held in 1911 across several European countries. Today, it is celebrated everywhere.

Meet the Team

These are the amazing people working to make it all happen.

Alexis Hughes-Williams

Coordinator

Alexis Hughes-Williams is originally from Milwaukee, WI. She has always been involved in helping others, especially women. She started her first ‘organization’ at the age of 10, the 40th Street Boys & Girls Club and that graduated into who she is today. Alexis has served in many organizations such as Black Achievers of Milwaukee, Urban Underground, African American Children’s Theatre and Families United to Prevent Teen Pregnancy to name a few in leadership and mentoring capacities.

Earning her degree from Tennessee State University in Marketing, Alexis has used her many talents and skills to start Something Sweet, LLC a virtual and pop up bakery, and program, Girl, unKnown. Girl, unKnown began by Alexis volunteering her time at Job Corps of Wisconsin to empower, uplift and motivate young girls to adult women to be the best versions of themselves by introducing new books, resources, social and educational workshops and engagements.

That project blossomed into Girl, unKnown Inc. and has a created a community of women that connect and engage with each other to educate, inspire growth and learn to be tolerant of others across all socioeconomic backgrounds, religions, creeds and orientations. Alexis is a visionary and a forerunner for change in her community, as she continues to be an advocate for women and peace.

Liz Fitzgerald

Coordinator

Liz’s experience runs a broad gamut, extending from full-time and freelance work with international public relations and advertising firms, as Editor-In-Chief and business manager for an international, Spanish language magazine serving the U.S. Hispanic, Central, and South American markets, extensive service with community-based not-for-profits, and as instructor and course creator for empowerment, self-defense, and martial arts programs.

She has published countless articles, under her own name, pseudonyms, and as a ghostwriter for clients, advised on design, and participated in the development of winning marketing strategies for industries as varied as technology, health, entertainment, beauty, lifestyle, automotive, travel and leisure, real estate, self-defense, and retail. However, refusing to be pigeonholed or to be limited by terms, and, she actively seeks out new and challenging opportunities to add different colored feathers to her knowledge cap.

Currently, she splits her time between her freelance writing career, her work on the Boards of ESD Global and Girl unKnown, Inc., and the creation, maintenance, implementation and instruction of the ASSERT Empowerment Self-Defense program, which she created and designed to teach Women, Men, and Children techniques to improve communication, interpersonal relationships, increase confidence, and defend themselves. She also owns and runs KSA Martial Academy, in Nashville, TN.