Soledad O’Brien Delivers Keynote
Address; Joins Celebrities,
Philanthropists, Fashion Stylists and
Broadway Stars to celebrate Female
Leaders
Event Raises $362,000 for United Way of
New York City’s Youth Empowerment
Initiatives; Winners of High School
Essay Contest Join Festivities
New York, NY – United Way of New York
City’s (UWNYC) Women’s Leadership
Council (WLC) today kicked off its 10th
anniversary year with an awards luncheon
honoring women who have made a
significant impact on their communities
through philanthropic giving, advocacy,
and volunteerism. This was WLC’s 6th
annual The Power of Women to Make a
Difference luncheon and featured a
keynote speech by CNN anchor and Special
Correspondent, Soledad O’Brien.
The event, hosted by style and beauty
expert and philanthropist Mary Alice
Stephenson, raised $362,000 in proceeds
which will directly benefit the Women’s
Leadership Council Fund. The WLC Fund
supports UWNYC’s youth empowerment
initiatives which include efforts to
reduce childhood obesity, improve the
quality of early care and education, and
boost on-time graduation rates.
“Today’s honorees are three of the most
exceptional women I know,” said Gordon
Campbell, President and CEO of United
Way of New York City. “Their work and
leadership embody the tremendous spirit
of philanthropy and community service –
truly ‘The Power of Women to Make a
Difference’ in our great city.”
The 2012 WLC honorees are: Karen B.
Peetz, BNY Mellon, Women’s Leadership
Council Founder’s Award; Avis Richards,
Birds Nest Productions, Women’s
Leadership Council Philanthropist Award;
Ivette Fernandez, News Corporation,
Women’s Leadership Council Woman of
Distinction Award.
The luncheon also launched a social
media campaign focused around “What
Woman Inspires You?” The campaign allows
the public to pay tribute to female role
models on twitter (#WLCinspire),
Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
The WLC has raised more than $3 million
in support of United Way of New York
City’s youth empowerment initiatives
since 2006. These include:
• Graduate, Prepare, Succeed (GPS-NYC),
which targets ninth graders with a
history of chronic absenteeism in 60
underserved public schools and provides
them with academic support, attendance
outreach, counseling, and case
management in order to improve on-time
graduation rates and college readiness.
• Supporting Transitions from
Early-education to Public School
(STEPS), which seeks to ensure that that
a child’s learning and developmental
needs are continuously met during the
first eight years of life – ensuring
that they master essential reading and
math skills, a critical foundation for
success in middle school, high school
and beyond.
• Healthy Eating for a Healthy Start,
which provides nutrition education
within the Head Start system and engages
children, families, and staff in
activities that lead to healthy eating.
At the luncheon, NYC high school
students Stevalecia Munipersaud, Angela
Nery and Selena Garcia, whose schools
participate in the GPS-NYC program, were
recognized for their winning essays on
“What Woman Inspires You?” and won $150
prizes.
The event was attended by a diverse
group including celebrities,
philanthropists, stylists, Broadway
performers, non-profit leaders, business
executives and other notable guests
including:
• Chandra Lee Schwartz – Broadway
actress, currently Glenda the Good Witch
in Wicked
• Montego Glover – Tony award nominee,
Broadway actress currently, Felicia
Farrel in Memphis
• Carol Woods – Grammy nominee, Broadway
actress, currently Matron "Mama" Morton
in Chicago
• Dr. Lisa Airan
• Olivia Chantecaille
• Coralie Charriol
• Jennifer Creel
• Lucy Sykes
Platinum sponsors of the event, held at
The Plaza Hotel, were BNY Mellon and
Macy’s.
###
About the Women’s Leadership Council
The Women's Leadership Council (WLC) is
a network of women dedicated to making a
difference in the lives of New York
City's young people. The WLC, now
celebrating their 10th anniversary, has
raised more than $3 million in support
of United Way of New York City's youth
empowerment initiatives. The WLC's
efforts comprise much more than
fundraising, such as panel discussions
on topics that affect young people in
our community to networking events with
other members.
About United Way of New York City
United Way of New York City fights
poverty across the five boroughs. We
design and invest in evidence-based
programs that help low-income New
Yorkers achieve educational success,
income stability and good health. We
rigorously evaluate our work and use
lessons learned to inform and advance
citywide policies and practices that
prevent and alleviate poverty citywide.