YWomen Leadership Celebration
A woman alone has power, women together have impact. That’s what YWomen is all about.
Each year at our YWomen Leadership Celebration, YWCA Evanston/North Shore recognizes and celebrates women leaders in our community for their commitment to women’s advancement and racial justice. The films about their lives lift us up and inspire us to do just a little bit more in our own lives.
Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago – North Shore!
See the photos of our event HERE.
YWomen proceeds help support YWCA Evanston/North Shore Domestic Violence, Economic Advancement, and Racial Justice programs.
Interested in YWomen sponsorship or silent auction donation opportunities?
Contact Michele Lacy, Director of Grants and Corporate Relations, at mlacy@ywca-ens.org or call 224-420-3264.
General YWomen Event Inquiries
Contact Jemeela Colston-Pettigrew, at jcolston@ywca-ens.org or call 224-420-3304.
YWomen Committee
Lisa Altenbernd • Kate Collinson • Victoria Dinges • Susan Hope Engel • Janeen Jackson • Denise Martin • Nikilyn Moe • Suzanne Shumaker • Elizabeth Stanton • Laura Tucker • Blair Wellensiek
About YWomen
YWCA premiered its first YWomen Leadership Awards Celebration in 2008. The event was created to recognize, support, and honor women from Evanston and neighboring North Shore communities for their commitment to women’s empowerment, racial justice and social activism.
Over the years, we have celebrated 34 remarkable women and seven powerful organizations for their work in the areas of women’s empowerment, racial justice, and social change. And each year, we have been moved by the spirit of activism that is embodied in the women we have honored.
The YWomen Leadership Awards Celebration has grown to be a highly anticipated event, drawing a diverse audience from all parts of the North Shore and Chicagoland area.? Awards are presented each year to women who through research, activism, education or creative expression have improved the lives of women and/or addressed the impact of racial inequities.
Human needs are universal. We all want to be treated fairly, to have opportunities to advance, to feel safe in our home and our communities, to build secure and productive lives for our families. It’s what guides us every day in our work at YWCA.
Past YWomen Leadership Awards Honorees
2023 Honorees: Robin Rue Simmons | Tosha Wilson | YW Tech Lab
Thank you to everyone who attended our 2023 YWomen Leadership Celebration & Gala, Saturday, November 4th! It was thrilling to have so many passionate supporters come together at the DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago – North Shore for this special event. The room was electric, filled with ambitious and influential people all coming together for a great cause. Our community and allies raised over $200,000 to help fuel programs like YW Tech Lab, our shelter program, and so much more.
Watch the inspiring YWomen film by Susan Hope Engel below, spotlighting our YWomen 2023 honorees and their stories!
October 2022
Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday, October 15th at Palmhouse Evanston as we honored 18 years of YWCA’s deepened impact under the leadership of CEO Karen Singer, who retired from her role in early 2023 after nearly two decades of steering the mission-driven work of YWCA to eliminate racism and empower women. Together, we celebrated YWCA’s growth and ushered in the future as a stronger, more resilient organization poised to take the next step in driving systemic change. We are extremely grateful to everyone who gave before, during, and after the event to support the work of YWCA E/NS. Our community donated over $140,000, which was generously matched by one of our board members.
Watch the inspiring YWomen film by Susan Hope Engel below, honoring CEO Karen Singer and her legacy of leadership…
Spring 2022 Honorees
Marjorie Craig Benton | Nadine Naber
2019 Honorees
Sekile Nzinga-Johnson | Alpana Singh | Cynthia Hartwig
2018 Honorees
Vicky Dinges | Gloria Bond Clunie | Kelley Cambry
2017 – YWomen 10th Anniversary Celebration
At the tenth anniversary of YWomen in 2017, we premiered a beautiful film by filmmaker Susan Hope Engel to recognize the 70th anniversary of the founding of YWCA Evanston/North Shore. Watch the film below and learn more about our work.
2016 Honorees
Julie Smolyansky | Evonda Thomas-Smith | Amita Lonial
2015 Honorees
Sunny Fischer | Delores Holmes | Blair Brettschneider
2014 Honorees
Gail M. Vierneisel | Mary Morten | Kourtney Cockrell | Organization: Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
2013 Honorees
Mercedes Fernandez | Alaka Wali | Organization: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
2012 Honorees
Alice Tregay | Kaethe Morris Hoffer | Elizabeth Stanton | Organization: Links- North Shore Youth Health Service
2011 Honorees
Ahlam Ahmed Mahmoud | Ann Feldman, PhD | Precious Wright | Organization: Project Kesher
2010 Honorees
Bernice Weissbourd | Celeste Watkins, PhD | Courtney Wright | Organization: Evanston Women’s History Project
2009 Honorees
Dorothy Roberts | Pushpika Freitas | Ebony Joy | Organization: Junior League of Evanston-North Shore
2008 Honorees
Fay Clayton | Cheryl-Johnson Odim, Ph.D. | Aracely Canchola | Organization: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority