Hello RVWA Members!
When a few of us sat around a dinner table in July of 2018 the idea of RVWA was born. We had no name or direction, but we did have a guiding principle, which was to empower and support women across the industry. By banding together with this common goal, we realized that we could accomplish much more than we could alone. Thus, our alliance began.
When we began our work in earnest we were faced with a very basic question, what is women’s equality anyway? I would love to live in a world where everyone is treated the same no matter their age, gender, color, religion or sexual preference. A world where we treat each other with respect; and value what talents we each bring to the table. It sounds so easy, but the reality is that it takes a lot of hard work, especially in a male-dominated industry.
What we really want is this Alliance to be a place where our members can learn and encourage each other. A place where we celebrate even the smallest wins. A forum to raise awareness among our peers. We want to be an organization designed around championing equality in our industry. The truth is, it’s hard for women to overcome these obstacles on their own. Women can set boundaries and advocate for themselves, but it’s difficult to go directly against an ingrained company culture and still expect to get ahead. In this area, though, male allies can help women advance. This is one of the reasons that RVWA welcomes men into the alliance. Change doesn’t happen on its own. We need those men and women willing to work at it. It takes a good leader to want to change the company culture that breeds this acceptability of inequality.
So, where do we go from here? We are currently putting the finishing touches on our strategic plan. This plan will help our alliance navigate the next three years. We have some great programs we are trying to put together. Of course, this all takes financial support. So, we are shamelessly looking for sponsors and volunteers daily. If you are able to help with either of these things, please contact RVWA Vice President Jordyn Foos at jfoos@nbm.com.
Of course, we wouldn’t even be an alliance without our current sponsors and volunteers. These people and companies believed in the vision and put forth the time, effort and funds to get this off the ground. They are all true visionaries and we will never forget the generosity they put forth.
Lastly, a shout out to both Liz Crawford, and Chris Fanning, formerly with the RV Industry Association. Without their push to form the Alliance, we wouldn’t be here today. I’ll miss seeing them at industry functions and am thankful for the support they provided since our first dinner meeting last July.
Please encourage your co-workers, friends, and family that work in the RV Industry to sign up and become a member today. It’s free, so why not?
Thank you all again for your membership and continued support! I look forward to serving you in the year to come!