This March, the Soulsville Foundation celebrated Women’s History Month by bringing students, artists, and professionals together to reflect on legacy and leadership through two powerful events: the annual Women’s Mentorship Breakfast and a special Women in Music gathering honoring the closing of the Bettye Crutcher exhibit.
This year’s Women’s Mentorship Breakfast, presented in partnership with the Women’s Business Council of the Greater Memphis Chamber, centered on the theme “Building Confidence.” What makes this event especially impactful is its student-led approach. Young women from high schools around the city didn’t just attend; they guided the conversation.
Students facilitated interview panels featuring women excelling in traditionally male-dominated fields, asking thoughtful questions about career journeys, challenges, and success. The morning continued with shared meals and intentional breakout sessions, where students connected directly with professionals.
This experience reflects a core belief of Soulsville: that exposure creates opportunity. By putting students in positions of leadership and access, we’re not just preparing them for the future, we’re showing them they belong in it.
That same spirit of breaking barriers carried over into our Women in Music networking event, which marked the closing of Stax Museum’s Bettye Crutcher exhibit: Bettye’s Bin. The event centered around Crutcher’s legacy as Stax Records’ only female staff songwriter, and her story being a powerful reminder of why community and access matter in the music business. As a songwriter, creative force, and trailblazer, her story represents the vital and often underrecognized role women have played in shaping the sound of soul music. The Women in Music event brought that legacy full circle, creating space for reflection, celebration, and inspiration.
Both events embodied the Soulsville Foundation’s ultimate goal: to empower young people through music, education, and opportunity. Stax was a place where barriers were broken, and voices were elevated, and that same spirit continues to guide Soulsville today.