Press Release: Over 1,300 Community Members will Celebrate Outstanding Utah Women at YWCA LeaderLuncheon
At this year’s 30th annual YWCA LeaderLuncheon on Friday, September 7 from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM at the Grand America Hotel (555 Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111), community members will come together to celebrate, be inspired, and raise critical funds for YWCA Utah. Piper Kerman, author of Orange is the New Black, will keynote the event. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 16, 2018Media Contact: Annie Studer astuder@ywcautah.org or 801.537.8610
Over 1,300 Community Members will Celebrate Outstanding Utah Women at YWCA LeaderLuncheon
Piper Kerman, author of Orange is the New Black, will keynote the event
Salt Lake City, UT – At this year’s 30th annual YWCA LeaderLuncheon on Friday, September 7 from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM at the Grand America Hotel (555 Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111), community members will come together to celebrate, be inspired, and raise critical funds for YWCA Utah.YWCA Utah will recognize remarkable women who have demonstrated their commitment to advancing the well-being of Utah women and girls, and whose work and achievements exemplify the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. The 2018 Outstanding Achievement Award and YWCA Heart and Soul Award recipients:Sheryl Allen – Public Service A dedicated public servant who served 16 years in the Utah House of Representatives, Sheryl is also a founding member of Real Women Run, a collaborative, non-partisan effort .Mary Beckerle – Medicine & Health A compassionate healthcare leader and acclaimed researcher whose work as CEO of Huntsman Cancer Institute saves lives.Patricia Christensen – LawAn attorney with Parr Brown Gee & Loveless and lifelong social justice advocate.Cristina Flores – Arts & CommunicationA journalist for KUTV2News who shares stories about populations that are often overlooked, including women of color, refugees and other marginalized communities.Yasmen Simonian – EducationDean of the Dumke College of Health Professions at Weber State University, Yasmen is committed to promoting higher education opportunities for women and minorities in healthcare.Paula Green Johnson – YWCA Heart & Soul AwardA philanthropic leader and dedicated community volunteer whose service and generosity has had a lasting impact on the YWCA.The keynote address will be given by Piper Kerman. Piper is the best-selling author of the memoir Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison and is also a social justice advocate who works tirelessly to promote the cause of prison and criminal justice reform. Her book has been adapted into an Emmy Award-winning original series for Netflix. What struck her the most about her experience, Kerman says, is the power of women’s communities: “the incredible ability of women to step up for each other, and to be resilient and to share their resiliency with other people.” Kerman’s memoir also raises provocative questions about the state of criminal justice in America, and how incarceration affects individuals and communities throughout the nation.All proceeds from LeaderLuncheon support YWCA programs and services: creating safety and a hopeful future for vulnerable women and their families; encouraging young children to learn and grow; nurturing women’s leadership in all spheres of life; advocating for racial justice and civil rights; and offering a distinctive public policy voice on behalf of all Utah women and girls.Tickets are $75 for the general public and $65 for YWCA member.
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About YWCA UtahYWCA Utah is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.YWCA Utah advances the well-being of women in Utah through safety, opportunity, and advocacy. Since 1906 the YWCA has designed its work to encourage women’s aspirations, protect and promote their rights, and meet their changing needs. The YWCA’s enduring belief has been that better lives for all women lead to stronger families, communities, and societies.