by Randy Giancaterino, rjgiancaterino@gmail.com
The inspirational Robin Maddox, organizer of the 5th Annual She Shines Conference, brings her special event empowering, inspiring, and offering hope to women of color to Mt. Airy next month.
Armed with persistence and passion, Mt. Airy resident Robin Maddox shines a bold light on women’s struggles and successes.
The persuasive Maddox has many messages to preach. After all, she is the daughter of a high-regarded local minister, the late Rev. Dr. Robert P. Shine, founder and longtime pastor of Berachah Baptist Church in West Oak Lane. As a licensed Baptist minister herself, her words from her pulpit resonate boldly through her network of friends who have joined in her journey to advance women who are disenfranchised and underserved in the community.
Irrepressible and impassioned, Robin Shine Maddox is a human magnet for goodwill and good people. Even on a cloudy day, she manages to walk on the sunny side of the street. Few seem to resist the sway of her charm and boundless energy. And every year for the last five years, to prove it, her vast ever-growing network participates in the She Shines Conference, a community women’s empowerment summit.
Maddox, who works for a local state senator as a constituent liaison by day, says that she is a community connector and that her event is a celebration of survival, strength, and sisterhood. “The term ‘successful’ is not necessarily defined by what we achieve, but by what we overcome in life, says Maddox, adding: Our day of empowerment is about both of these, really. There are many tenacious women of color who seize life and its challenges with brilliance, beauty, and bravery – both personally and professionally.”
Robin is a dynamic leader known for her engagement with local, statewide, and national organizations, advocating passionately for social justice, voting rights, and women’s empowerment. As a breast cancer survivor, out of the darkness of privacy, she shares her story publically. She plays a pivotal role in the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, facilitating vital connections to resources for those undergoing diagnosis and treatment. Maddox’s father died in 2022 at age 83. She carries on his stellar legacy as a champion for justice, public education, voter rights, and racial equality. She recently experienced the loss of her 85-year-old mother this past July.
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When women in her circle, and even strangers, are lost or feel like they are at the end of their rope, Maddox helps them tie a knot.
“Your very being means you have a purpose,” she says. “My mission is simple: To empower, inspire, offer hope, and to shine brightly, illuminating the paths of others as they journey towards their goals.”
As the Founder and Executive Leader of Celebrating Sisterhood, that philosophy serves her well. Robin draws from her Christian faith as a compass to steer her professional and personal growth. Robin’s community involvement extends to an array of planning committees and boards. Her resume is long: Master of Public Administration, University of Delaware, with a Certificate of Professional Development Training in Non Profit Management and Community Development; Bachelor of Science degree in sociology from Lincoln University; Licensed Minister, 2017; Berachah Baptist Church Graduate, Certificate in Biblical Counseling from Christian Research and Development in Philadelphia; Evangelical Training Association Certificate, Biblical Studies – New Life Bible Institute.
She has spent more than 25 years working in the nonprofit, private, and public sectors.
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The She Shines Conference will be in Mt. Airy and hosted by Maddox’s grassroots nonprofit, Celebrating Sisterhood, Inc. It’s one of Philadelphia’s premier annual gatherings that effectively engages women who are underrepresented in healthcare, education, business, and many walks of life. Part of the event focuses on breast cancer. The impassioned and irrepressible Maddox’s successful battle with breast cancer (she is now in remission) in 2018-19 inspired the flourishing She Shines Conference. A timely lead-up to the event next month centers on building awareness during October’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Currently, she serves on the board of the PA Breast Cancer Coalition, a group of cancer survivors whose mission is to provide programs and resources to help find a cure for breast cancer. New this year at the She Shines Conference will be free mammogram screenings.
Temple Fox Chase Cancer, Penn Meds Abramson Cancer Center, Jefferson Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Dr. Monique Gary, an oncologist surgeon, several medical and healthcare providers, the mammogram mobile unit, and Black Health Matters are just a few representatives who will participate.
Generally, the event will focus on health, healing, wellness, spirituality, education, safety, civic engagement, and networking opportunities. It will include a continental breakfast, a healthy sit-down lunch, a resource fair, and lively panel workshop discussions facilitated by leading national and locally acclaimed speakers, including Dr. Cora B. Jakes, an associate pastor, speaker, and best-selling author based in Dallas, TX, and Dr. Sarita Lyons, a Philadelphia bible teacher, psychotherapist, community advocate and author.
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The conference will be on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at New Covenant Church of Philadelphia, 7500 Germantown Ave. The theme is “She Rises, She Soars, She Shines!” – which is how Maddox approaches life, with all of its promises and potholes. As a 61-year-old breast cancer survivor, this warrior knows that the road she travels is more purposeful than poetic.
“If you are looking to be heard and seen personally and professionally, then the She Shines Conference is the safe and welcoming place for you,” Maddox concludes.
For more information and to register for the She Shines Conference, visit the conference website www.sheshinesconference.com.
