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The founder of the Me Too movement says Lehigh Valley employees should “look to fill in the gaps” at their workplaces and beyond. “Think about your own experiences [at work],” Tarana Burke said to an audience of several hundred Wednesday during the 15th annual Lehigh Valley Women’s Summit at Cedar Crest College. “Do you know what your sexual harassment policy is at your job? What does the fine print say? Would that policy cover things that have happened to you or your co-workers?” Burke, who was recently named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people, said that by taking time to discuss sometimes uncomfortable issues — such as a company’s harassment policy — workers can fill in the gaps. “What’s missing is it gives you space to go back with supervisors and say, ‘We think we can change this policy and make it great for everybody,’ ” she said. A native of the Bronx, N.Y., Burke, 44, said she began using the phrase “Me Too” in 2006 as a social activist in the South to raise awareness of the pervasiveness of sexual violence in society. The phrase developed into a broader movement in 2017 after actress Alyssa Milano helped spread the hashtag #MeToo on social media after revelations of sexual misconduct against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Since then, Weinstein has been indicted on sexual assault charges, and other high-profile men — including Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose and Bill O’Reilly — have faced fallout from accusations against them. PHOTO GALLERY: Cedar Crest College in Allentown Wednesday, The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted the annual Lehigh Valley Women’s Summit with keynote speakers Dr. Michelle Rozen, who is a nationally recognized leader on motivation and Turana Burke, founder of the Me Too movement, share their message with Wednesday’s event. (RICK KINTZEL/ THE MORING CALL) Burke said she felt a range of emotions when the movement began to go viral on Twitter and elsewhere. Early on, she feared that the legacy would be lost. But she also felt gratitude and humility that her work was gaining steam. Time magazine also named her a Top Person of 2017 under the heading “The Silencers.” “I don’t own it,” she said of the movement. “It was a gift given to me, and I have been a vessel for it.” Responding to an audience question, Burke said the media has created an idea that the movement is about something other than its mission. “And the media stays focused on the shiny object,” Burke said, referring to “Hollywood perpetrators.” “We don’t really know, unless you listen to the women’s stories,” such as those of Weinstein accusers Annabella Sciorra and Mira Sorvino, both actresses, Burke said. “We don’t know the struggle of the women.” Several times, she encouraged the women to be “laser-focused” about ways to improve things at home or the workplace. Motivational expert Michelle Rozen, who gave a morning keynote address, encouraged female leaders to take ownership of their destinies. “So much of our growth and coming toward our goals is in our hands and can actually be done, if you know how to do it right,” she said. Several first-time attendees said the comments by Rozen, a nationally known speaker who holds a doctorate degree in psychology, resonated with them. “I learned that it’s OK to change your attitude about a situation,” said Lorena Bravo, who runs Organic Tans LLC in Allentown and is a partner at the LV Beauty Loft in Easton. “It’s good to look for a changing dynamic, and I look forward to implementing that in my work and daily life.” Besides Cedar Crest, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce's Women's Business Council and the Women's Leadership Council of the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley organized the summit. Lenore Mohr, who co-chaired the summit with Sylvia Doyle of Moravian College, said this year’s summit theme was “Speak Up.” “We’re not the guys on the golf course,” said Mohr, who owns a real estate investment company. “We have to find out our own ways to come together and make sure we support one another. And we need the men, too. We need men and women to speak up, to support all of us to be successful in business.” LEARN MORE Go to lehighvalleywomen.com for more information about about the Women's Summit. Read the original article here.