Content, Inspiration, 
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Did your Barbie ice cream shop come complete with detailed receipts? From the earliest days, there was genuine, personal delight in exploring the world of work. Understanding what adults were doing and why was endlessly fascinating. Designing merchandising materials, helping prepare orders and imagining the customers who would receive them created an early sense of pride and curiosity. So did small opportunities to help at home, learning what relatives were responsible for an

And just like that, we're at the end of the year. From professional development, to events attended, to personal insights — the OWA's year has been summarized in the weekly OWA Connects blog . A special thanks to our contributors throughout the year — OWA committee members , industry experts and sponsors — without you, this incredible content would not be possible. You are improving our community one blog post at a time 💗 These were the most popular articles of 2025: 10. Ou

The ClearVision-Adira Grant, founded in 2024 in partnership with the Optical Women’s Association, has quickly become a defining program supporting women’s growth and advancement across the optical industry. “The foundational role of my mother Mimi Friedfeld, as a founding member of the OWA, underscores ClearVision's deep-rooted commitment to supporting women in the optical industry,” David Friedfeld, co-owner and president of ClearVision, said. “This collaboration with the OW

The Individual Contributor program provides the opportunity for ANY individual to support the OWA and its mission of enhancing and promoting the leadership role of women in the optical industry through networking, education, and peer support. ​ Support from Individual Contributors directly funds the OWA Leadership Scholarship , an award granted to a board-nominated OWA member who has shown exemplary volunteer service in helping the OWA reach its goals. The recipient of this

Dear Me: At this stage in life and career, I thought you’d be past a few things. I thought confidence would replace nerves, efficiency...

Earning recognition for your drive, discipline, and deep commitment to excellence is impressive. You have likely built a meaningful...