Advocates
for women and the homeless, civil rights and the mentally ill, a living wage
and workplace equity will be saluted on March 25 at the 2007 Women of
Achievement awards celebration.
The
23rd annual event to commemorate National WomenÕs History Month will begin at 4
p.m. at the Holiday Inn-University of Memphis, 3700 Central. The public is
invited.
The
2007 honorees are:
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Courage Ð Modeane Thompson, civil rights activist and member of the Panel of
American Women
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Determination Ð Rev. Rebekah Jordan, founder of the Memphis Living Wage
Coalition
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Steadfastness Ð Gertrude Purdue, longtime leader of the Salvation
Army
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Initiative Ð Nancy Lawhead, advocate for seriously mentally ill and founder of
Midtown Mental Health Center
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Heritage Ð Barbara Lawing, feminist and labor activist
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Heroism Ð Sheila White, who successfully sued BNSF Railroad for sex
discrimination
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Vision Ð Donna Fortson, founder of Memphis Family Shelter
The
awards program is organized by Women of Achievement Inc., a diverse coalition
of community groups and individuals founded in 1984 to celebrate and document
womenÕs contributions to community change. Nominations for awards come from
across the community. Since the first celebration in 1986, nearly 150 women
have been honored at events that draw up to 500 guests and in a two-volume book
series that compiled biographical essays and photographs of WA honorees.
Tickets
to the 2007 Women of Achievement awards reception are $20.
Reservations
must be paid by March 20. Major credit cards will be accepted by phone at
458-6701. Or make checks payable to Women of Achievement and mail to PO Box
11167, Memphis, 38111-0167.
For
information about membership or to order the book series, call 272-1738.
The
annual awards celebration is not a fund-raising event; contributions to help
defray costs are appreciated.