Let the journey begin.

EmpowerHer 2026: “From resilience to renaissance”

In 2026 EmpowerHer invited the world to witness a transformation already happening around us: women turning challenges into innovation, creativity, and leadership.

Across the world and especially within diaspora communities women continue to rise, not only surviving adversity but reshaping it into something powerful, this with their strong allies. Their resilience is undeniable… but their renaissance is unstoppable.

Diaspora women are more than symbols of strength. They are innovators, cultural shapers, community builders, and visionaries who breathe new life into industries, stories, and movements. They turn barriers into bridges, and lived experiences into leadership.

We celebrated the shifts:

- from enduring to creating

- from being overlooked to leading boldly

- from resilience… to renaissance.

EmpowerHer 2026 was an invitation to step into this movement to learn, to be inspired, to connect, and to rise with a community that believes in collective power and shared growth. An invitation to be transformed… to be inspired…and everyone ready to walk into their own renaissance… February 27 & 28, 2026.

In the room…

On 27th February 2026,
Webster Vienna Private University, Palais Wenkheim | Praterstraße 23, 1020 Wien, Austria

Words and remarks from distinguished figures in Vienna. From women leaders to allies in the movement, their words and presence underscores the significance of EmpowerHer.
Inspiring stories and motivational talks from three remarkable who embody resilience, ambition, and transformation.
Three outstanding women are crowned and honoured for their exceptional contributions in Vienna as a results of votes by the community. The awards celebrated women's dedication and impact across three key categories: Creative Innovation, Community Impact, Entrepreneurial Trailblazers.
Connect, build bridges and inspire change with the presented networking cocktail where the audience and the speakers bond.

On 28th February 2026,
FILMQUARTIER WIEN | Schönbrunner Str. 31, 1050 Wien Austria

In alignment with the theme “From resilience to renaissance”, partners and experts come together to exchange ideas and expand.
Panel Discussion: Resilience in Business: "What It Really Takes to Thrive Today" by Diaspora Business Hub (DHB)
Atelier: "The Danger of the Single Narrative" by Civic Initiatives Austria
A safe space created for personal growth, these workshops highlighting the idea of healing, renewal, and flourishing after challenges, inviting participants to nurture both inner and outer growth.
A dynamic space for organisations, businesses, and institutions seeking to engage with women from diverse background. Brand awareness, finding talents, presenting a creative projects or raising awareness on a charity initiative…the buzzing marketplace is the ressource space for women and their allies.

Full Program

EMPOWERHER AWARD 2026

The Empower Her Awards celebrate extraordinary women shaping Africa’s future.
The Creative Innovation Award honors a woman using creativity to drive change in culture and the arts.

The Community Impact Award recognizes a woman leading social initiatives that uplift and empower her community.

The Entrepreneurial Trailblazer Award celebrates a visionary entrepreneur building success while inspiring others.

Vote for 2026 Nominees

Inspiring change, building bridges

Margaret Akullo, Mentor

Margaret Akullo is a Ugandan diasporan woman whose global career reflects the spirit of resilience and renewal at the heart of EmpowerHer 2026. With more than 30 years of experience in international development, criminal justice reform, and leadership mentoring, she has supported institutions and individuals to design solutions that create meaningful, lasting change…
Lynette Penkner, Founder

Lynette is a multi-passionate entrepreneur building across climate tech, regenerative systems, and resilient travel to create solutions that actually move the needle. Across her ventures, one theme is consistent: she helps people and places thrive by aligning nature, local communities, and business innovation. What sets her apart? She builds businesses the same way she builds teams with purpose, heart, and decisive action…
Wemimo, Artist

Wemimo is a multidisciplinary artist with Yoruba and Viennese heritage, raised internationally, whose work bridges music, performance, and cultural storytelling. Trained in musical theatre, she brings extensive experience as a dancer, model, and actress, with her live performances centered on Afro-House (Wemi Blue)...
Marie Spaemann, Singer/Songwriter | holistic breathing Coach

The musical journey of cellist and singer/songwriter Marie Spaemann is shaped by an active and varied concert schedule as well as a fascination and curiosity for the diversity of the creative process and contemplative approaches to music making…
Ravali, Yoga

Over time, through her own journey of unlearning and remembering, Ravali began to understand the depth and complexity of this tradition. Time spent learning with monks and teachers in the Himalayas continues to shape how she share yoga today not as a collection of techniques, but as a practice of presence, care, and coming home to oneself.
Bistra & Cristina, President and Deputy Director of Civic Initiatives Austria

Christina’s professional background is in communication, with a strong focus on inclusion and the design of events and initiatives that address social cohesion and belonging and Bistra works international communities based in Austria to bring change and inclusion in everyday life…
Miriam Imarhiagbe, Co-founder and Attorney-at-law

Miriam is co-founder of and attorney-at-law at nova*legal. She is advising small and medium-sized enterprises on corporate and commercial law matters, with a particular focus on tech companies and entrepreneurs with international backgrounds…
Motunrayo Olaogun, Career and life coach

Motunrayo Olaogun is a career and life coach shaped by contrast — and strengthened by transition. Her profound entrepreneurship journey began when she founded Ayo Van Elmar, an African luxury brand she built and led for 12 years across Europe and Africa. In 2020, she chose to deepen her leadership lens with an Executive MBA at HEC Paris…
Lisa Maria Stier, Founder

Lisa is what she lovingly calls a “disaster expert”—by education and by experience. With a degree in geography, she started out studying natural disasters, only to later navigate some very human ones herself. After leading an ambitious entertainment restaurant in Vienna that ultimately failed, she rebuilt her life and career from the ground up…
Enzo & Laïla, Lab'Oratoire

Lab'Oratoire is a French-speaking/International creative Lab' that develops bold, raw, and collective theatre and short film projects. Through in-depth acting training and shared artistic practice, the Lab' fosters meaningful stage and screen creations rooted in experimentation, collaboration, and artistic rigour. Founded in 2025, Lab'Oratoire is a Vienna-based association dedicated to…
Otalia, Founder

SaWaShea – The Green Gold for your Wellbeing was founded by Otalia and is a social enterprise selling handmade shea butter, produced by the women cooperative Wobeh. The idea for SaWaShea took-off, when the founder traveled to the northern region of her home country of Cote D’Ivoire to network with five cooperatives producing shea butter…
Miriam Mona Mukalazi

Miriam Mona Mukalazi holds a PhD in Political Science with a specialisation in the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda of the African Union and the European Union. She leads the Africa Policy Programme at the Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC), where her work focuses on Africa–Europe…

Learn more about the speakers

Wellness, nurturing inner & outer growth

Wellbeing workshop 1 - “Healing & Empowerment Through Theatre”

Interactive session to help overcome personal fears through performance, develop emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and effective nonverbal communication. Nurture creativity, boost confidence, and promote self-expression.
Hosted by Laila & Enzo on 28.02.2026 | @12h00 - 13h00
Wellbeing workshop 2 - "Renaissance Yoga: Flow into Renewal"

Gentle yoga session blending movement, breathwork, and affirmations of resilience. Releasing tension and creating space for growth; rising from the mat as a metaphor for women’s renaissance.
Hosted by Ravali on 28.02.2026 | @13h10 - 14h10
Wellbeing workshop 3: "Breathing for Resilience"

Deep relaxation, meditation breathwork, mindfulness, helping participants let go of emotions.
Hosted by Marie on 28.02.2026 | @14h20 - 15h20
Wellbeing workshop 4 - "Beauty in Resilience: Self-Care as Empowerment"

Hands-on mini-workshop with natural skincare/wellness rituals. Reframing beauty as self-love and resilience; rediscovering beauty in everyday rituals, inspired by African traditions.
Hosted by Sawashea Greengold on 28.02.2026 | @15h30 - 16h30

Atelier

“The danger of the single narrative” is an immersive atelier-style experience bringing together the experience and wisdom of several communities: Civic Initiatives Austria (Civic Initiatives / Građanske inicijative), larger.world, Heartbeats Innovation & Communication and shrine, where participants step into the stories that quietly shape how we see women, migrants, success, and whiteness in Europe today. Working from lived experience rather than abstract theory, the workshop offers practical ways to notice, interrupt, and move beyond these dominant narratives, without replacing them with new certainties. The atelier then transforms into a living installation, gathering participants’ reflections into a shared, evolving space that makes complexity, connection, and belonging visible.

February 28