“A woman alone has power; collectively we have impact,“ said Shelley Zalis, founder and CEO of The Female Quotient.
YWCA Evanston/North Shore launched the annual YWomen Leadership Celebration in 2008, with the dream to bring communities together and channel the power of women to change the world.
On Nov. 9, YWCA Evanston/North Shore held its 12th annual YWomen Leadership Celebration, honoring three local women whose courageous leadership has changed their communities. The 2019 honorees were:
- Cindy Hartwig, executive director of women’s health and professional practice at Advocate Health Care. Hartwig specializes in the needs of domestic violence survivors in medical settings.
- Sekile Nzinga-Johnson, PhD, MSW, director of the Northwestern University Women’s Center. Johnson is an author and activist, working to advance gender equity and inclusion.
- Alpana Singh, restaurateur, master sommelier, advocate for women’s empowerment, and host of WTTW’s “Check, Please!”
The Lorraine H. Morton Young Woman of Promise Education Award was presented to Evanston Township High School senior, Mya Y. Allen.
Drawing 400 supporters to the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, the 2019 YWomen Leadership Celebration raised $250,000 in support of YWCA Evanston/North Shore. Focused on improving the lives of all women and girls, YWCA programs address three overlapping areas: racial justice and civil rights, economic empowerment of women, and the health and safety of women and girls.
The 2019 sponsors included Thermoflex, Allstate, Better, Wintrust, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Hagerty Consulting, Infrastructure Engineering, MPS Law, Northwestern University, Oakton Community College, and Wesley Realty Group.
Emily Stone earned a degree in journalism from Elon University in North Carolina. Along with writing, Stone has a passion for digital storytelling and photography. Her work has been published in Chicago Athlete Magazine. Stone is a supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Stone is a fluent Spanish speaker who in her free time loves a good dance class.
