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YWCA honors 10 women leaders

The YWCA Spokane has announced 2019 Women of Achievement they will honor at their awards luncheon, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11, at the Spokane Convention Center.

Over 37 years, YWCA Spokane has celebrated achievements of more than 230 Spokane women to increase awareness and appreciation of contributions of women.

The recipients embody the YWCA Spokane's mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

The 2019 leaders are: Ginger Ewing of Terrain Spokane, in Arts & Culture; Carla Cicero of Numerica Credit Union, in Business & Industry; Freda Gandy of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Outreach Center, for the Carl Maxey Racial and Social Justice; Susan Ashe of Health Science and Services Authority (HSSA) of Spokane, for Community Enhancement.

Others are Ann Ciasullo, a Gonzaga professor of Women's and Gender Studies and English Department chair, for Education ; Traci Ponto of the Spokane Police Department, for Government and Public Service; Anne McClain, astronaut, NASA – Science, for Technology and Environment; Celestina Barbosa-Leiker, associate professor, Washington State University College of Nursing for Science, in Technology and Environment; Christine Dugger, Spokane Valley Youth Voice for Young Woman of Achievement.

Marion Moos, Spokane's "mother of feminism," is being honored posthumously for the Lifetime Achievement.

For information, 742-0111 or email danam@ywcaspokane.org or visit ywcaspokane.org/woa2019bios.

"This awards celebration allows the community to pay homage to women who are change makers in Spokane," said Laura McAloon, YWCA Spokane Women of Achievement Award Luncheon co-chair and YWCA Spokane Board vice chair. "It is an inspirational event that ignites and mobilizes guests to participate in solutions that transform lives: one child, one teen, one woman, one family at a time."

YWCA Spokane asks guests to consider joining the women honored on a critical mission to address the community epidemic of domestic violence, which significantly affects our families and our economic health.

"With more 1,200 guests at this luncheon," said Leanne Scott, YWCA Spokane Women of Achievement Award Luncheon co-chair and YWCA Spokane Board member, "YWCA sends a powerful message to survivors of domestic violence that their community is here to support them, that we care, and that help is available."

The keynote speaker is Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who presided over the USA Gymnastics Team sex abuse scandal involving Larry Nassar, sentencing him to 175 years in prison for the sexual abuse of young women that lasted more than two decades.

In addition to traditional table and ticket registration options for individuals and organizations, this year, YWCA Spokane is providing a special discounted ticket opportunity for high school age young women to attend the event. Opportunities to sponsor tickets for young women to attend are available to help ensure all young women interested in attending are able to join the event.

Table sponsor information is at ywcaspokane.org/woa2019.

The event includes sponsorship from more than 50 companies and organizations each year.

For information on sponsorship, call 742-0111 or email danam@ywcaspokane.org.

For 116 years, YWCA Spokane has been helping women and children overcome social, economic, and personal barriers in order to accomplish their goals and achieve healthier and more fulfilling lives. Today our areas of focus are supporting victims of intimate partner domestic violence (DV), building economic empowerment, promoting early childhood education, and confronting racial and social justice issues that negatively impact our clients and our community.

YWCA Spokane envisions a community in which DV is no longer tolerated, and embraces this vision through a continuum of wrap-around services: 24-hour Helpline and Safe Shelter, Counseling Center, Mental Health Services, Child Advocacy, Civil Legal Assistance, Legal Advocacy, Economic Empowerment Advocacy, and free Drop-In Childcare.

In 2018, YWCA Spokane impacted the lives of over 16,000 women, children, and families. By working at the intersections of inequality, poverty, and DV we are able to disrupt longstanding societal patterns of trauma.