85 Broads was originally launched in 1997 for current and former Goldman Sachs women who worked at 85 Broad Street in NYC. We became 85Broads.com in 1999 and in 2000, expanded beyond GS when we invited women at the leading graduate business schools to join the network.

In 2004, we invited women at the leading undergraduate colleges and universities to join as well, along with women who were alumnae of those schools.

In 2007, we invited all smart women to join 85 Broads. These were women who had a passion to succeed and who wanted to blaze new trails for other amazing women to follow.

WOMEN WHO ROCK:

Tara Uzra Dawood, who is an Oxford/Harvard Law grad, is leading the charge to help women in Pakistan become financially secure. She recently sent me the news coverage The LADIESFUND got in Pakistan following an awards ceremony in March at the Mohatta Palace Museum. The ceremony was held to celebrate and recognize some of the most extraordinary women in Pakistan. We sent a taped video message from 85 Broads congratulating Tara and the awardees on their success.

85 Broads allows smart women to connect with each other in so many powerful ways. Through Tara, we are connected to the women in Pakistan in a way that allows us to learn about progress, rather than what the media tees up which is mostly about terrorism.

There is so much that is truly great about Pakistan. There is so much that is truly great about every corner of the globe. Every country is to be congratulated for having fabulous, fearless women who are passionate about seeing future generations succeed.

Next week, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon will be en route to Afghanistan to continue her work with Afghani women entrepreneurs.

Jaleh Taheri is one of our chapter leaders in Scandinavia. She just returned from Syria where she is working on sustainable growth initiatives. This is Jaleh:

"I was born into an Iranian American household. My dream is to see a strong relationship between the amazing women in Iran and the United States because both countries have a lot to learn from each other."

Every day, rockstars like Tara, Gayle, and Jaleh are holding hundreds of global conversations to empower and inspire other women to GO FOR IT -- brilliantly, fearlessly, and with a sense of purpose and passion that is exciting and profound.