EXCLUSIVE: ''Abbott Elementary'' star Sheryl Lee Ralph sparkles at 35th CCWC in Downtown Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Around 3,000 women packed into the Fresno Convention Center on Tuesday, all with the same goal: sparkle at every stage.

That was the theme of the 35th annual Central California Women's Conference and guest speaker Sheryl Lee Ralph made sure to shine and inspire all generations.

"When you're young, you're a teenager or in your 20s, you want to sparkle," Ralph explained. "Well that's about your possibilities of your sparkle. Then you get to be 30 and 40, and you lean into your sparkle. Then you get to be about 50/60 and you're like 'I don't care I just shine everywhere I go' and leave a little sparkle behind."

Ralph is an Emmy award-winning actress on ABC's Abbott Elementary, producer, activist, mother and diva.

She sat down with ABC30 for an exclusive interview ahead of the conference about her journey to success.

"When I was younger, my grandmother would say, 'When you walk into the room, the whole race comes with you' and with that I used to feel pressure because I was like 'Wow how can I be all things for people who look like me' and now I realize it's about bringing my best to everything I do," she said.

Ralph says to be her best, she takes on projects she knows will make her family and community proud.

She encourages women to take risks and choose joy at every stage of life.

"Love you!" she exclaimed. "You deserve it. Speak up for you; you deserve to be heard!"

Attendees heard Ralph's message and browsed over 175 vendors while sharing ideas to succeed personally and professionally.

"It is my first time and I'm so glad," first-time attendee, Soraya Redmond said. "I was like, 'Where has this been all my life?'

"Really enjoy the spectrum of content they're providing," first-time attendee, Christina Wells said. "Really left inspired, taking lots of notes really just taking away you're always trying to do your best."

"If you're that woman, stand up and use that voice," Redmond added. "You have something inside of you that someone else needs to hear, empower other women, bring them along with you and I absolutely loved her message."

You can catch Sheryl Lee Ralph and Abbott Elementary on ABC30 as the fourth season premieres on October 9.

If you missed out on this year's conference, you can attend next year's on Tuesday, September 16.