In 1967, Muriel Siebert stepped onto the testosterone-fueled trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange as its first female member. In addition to the inherent challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry, she faced a more pressing issue: there was no women’s restroom on the seventh floor of the Exchange where the members’ luncheon club was located. Finding this unacceptable, Siebert successfully lobbied for a women’s restroom to be built by warning the Exchange’s chairman that she would arrange to have a portable toilet delivered (New York Times). Fifty-seven years later, women are still making waves and breaking barriers in the world of finance, proving that Wall Street’s “wolves” aren’t always wearing suits and ties.

On Thursday, November 21, join the Downtown Alliance and Siebert Financial for an extraordinary evening with the women who changed Wall Street’s landscape. Award-winning historian and author Paulina Bren will discuss her groundbreaking book “She-Wolves: The Untold History of Women on Wall Street” alongside three pioneering leaders featured in its pages. Siebert Financial chief product officer Raakhee Miller will moderate this powerful conversation about breaking barriers in finance.

You’ll hear from: 

• Paulina Bren, historian and writer; professor at Vassar College
• Jolyne Caruso-FitzGerald, founder, Eriu Advisors and former CEO of the Alberleen Group
• Lillian Lambert, entrepreneur and first African-American woman to earn an MBA from Harvard Business School 
• Doreen Mogavero, co-founder of Mogavero Lee and the first woman to own and operate a NYSE member firm
• Raakhee Miller, chief product officer at Siebert Financial

Our panelists will explore key themes from the book, including:

• The evolution of women’s roles in finance from the 19th century to present
• Breaking through the “glass ceiling” in major financial institutions
• The impact of legislation like the Civil Rights Act on Wall Street culture
• Strategies for building influence and creating change from within
• The ongoing challenges and opportunities for women in finance today

The discussion will be followed by a reception and light refreshments. Books will be available for purchase onsite from McNally Jackson Books.

Whether you work in finance or just love downtown New York City history, you won’t want to miss this exciting evening of compelling stories, frank discussion and networking opportunities.

Step back into the world of 1960s Manhattan at the Downtown Alliance’s latest installation of New York on Film! Join us for a special screening of Billy Wilder’s “The Apartment” followed by a thought-provoking discussion with distinguished film critics Molly Haskell and Imogen Sara Smith. 

Wilder’s timeless classic stars Jack Lemmon as C.C. “Bud” Baxter, a lonely but ambitious office worker who lends his apartment to company executives for their extramarital affairs, hoping to climb the corporate ladder. Baxter’s life becomes complicated when he falls for Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), an elevator operator who has her own troubles with the company’s powerful men. Through clever wit, poignant performances and an unflinching portrayal of corporate life, “The Apartment” deftly balances comedy with a dark, reflective lens on love, loneliness and ethics.

Following the screening, Haskell and Smith will examine how Wilder’s New York is both a place of isolation and possibility and dissect the film’s nuanced portrayal of gender and power. They will explore how these portrayals resonate with today’s discussions around workplace dynamics, consent and gender equity, illuminating the ways “The Apartment” remains relevant to modern audiences. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to rediscover one of Hollywood’s most celebrated films and gain a deeper understanding of how its social commentary speaks to both its time and ours. This event is a must-attend for cinephiles, cultural critics and those interested in the ever-evolving narratives of gender and power on screen.

Tickets are $5 and include popcorn and a beverage. All proceeds will be donated to the
Women’s Film Preservation Fund.