We’ve always known that Black women are trailblazers. Now, their excellence is taking center stage at the upcoming Women of Distinction Awards Gala presented by the YWCA USA.
The virtual event will celebrate, recognize, and honor women, girls, and organizations for their work and impact in racial justice, advocacy and civic engagement, and women’s empowerment on June 24, at 7 pm ET as part of their racial justice summit, In Solidarity We Build.
The YWCA USA established the Women of Distinction Awards Gala to celebrate, recognize, and honor women, girls, and organizations who embody the YWCA mission to empower women and eliminate racism. The accomplishments of our extraordinary honorees reflect those aspirational yet attainable goals. We are deeply grateful for their service and look forward to celebrating them in front of our community.
This year’s gala is co-hosted by Elisha Rhodes, Interim CEO and COO, YWCA USA; activist, educator, and writer, Brittany Packnett Cunningham; and founder and CEO of HUED, Kimberly Wilson.
Awardees include Taraji P. Henson Henson (Dorothy I. Height Racial Justice Award recipient), LaTosha Brown (Civic Engagement Award recipient), Mari Copeny, (Youth Social Activism Award recipient), Lisa Mensah, (Financial Empowerment Award recipient) and Dr. Leana Wen, (Excellence in Public Health Award recipient).
Proceeds from the Women of Distinction Awards Gala support funding for over 200 YWCA local associations to provide programs and other resources that touch the lives of women, girls, and people of color in over 1,200 communities across the country.
YWCA USA will also recognize two YWCA local associations who, through idealism, perseverance, and extraordinary faith in a better world, rise to the top of our community as leaders. These associations have provided an authentic, demonstrable impact on women and girls in the communities they serve. This year’s two YWCA local association honorees showed exemplary and innovative racial justice work during our nation’s moment of racial reckoning and beyond.