A Reminder to Stay Steadfast, Courageous, and Bold: YW Boston Celebrates Five Inspirational Women at the 28th Academy of Women Achievers 

Aaron Halls
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On Tuesday, June 6, YW Boston hosted the 28th Academy of Women Achievers Luncheon at the Westin Copley Place in Back Bay. We want to take a moment to acknowledge and thank our incredible awardees, speakers, sponsors, esteemed guests, and staff – all who helped make this an impactful celebration. Thanks to your unwavering support and generosity we raised over $324,000 to fund our racial and gender equity work. 

If you haven’t already, you can still support YW Boston by donating today. Your gifts will mean that we continue our work in helping individuals and organizations to create inclusive environments where women, people of color, and especially women of color can succeed.    

We were delighted to induct five incredible women into the academy. Each honoree pre-recorded their remarks, and you can view them below:  

  • Nora Moreno Cargie, President, Point32HealthFoundation, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship, Point32Health – Nora’s Remarks 

The event started with Academy of Women Achievers Host Committee Co-Chairs, Annis Gill-Miller and Beyazmin Jimenez, who welcomed attendees and kicked off our 28th Academy of Women Achievers celebration. Afterwards, YW Boston President and CEO, Beth Chandler took to the stage.  “Everyone has the ability to implement change in their spheres of influence and uplift amazing women leaders,” she said. “The actions you take today may open doors for a future Academy of Women Achievers awardee.” 

Latoyia Edwards, Emmy Award-winning anchor on NBC10 Boston, brought an amazing energy to the room. This was her seventh year emceeing for the event, and she took time to allow each AWA awardee to take in their moment and feel the appreciation from the audience. In turn, YW Boston wanted to ensure that Latoyia was recognized by presenting her with our first-ever Trailblazer Award.  

“Latoya gives freely of her time and immense talent to make sure that everyone in this room has an incredible experience and feels welcomed and included.” 

Beth Chandler

After presenting the awards, Latoya led a group Q&A with each of the awardees. Here, they reflected on what it meant to be inducted into the Academy of Women Achievers alongside other courageous women, turning points that led them on their path to becoming the women they are today, how YW Boston’s values aligned with their own, and how we can all work to make Boston a more inclusive place.   
 

“This award is a reminder that we have to stay steadfast, that we have to stay courageous and bold, and that we have to make people uncomfortable in order to dismantle systems of harm.”

Natanja Craig-Oquendo 

“We’re talking about this idea of lowering barriers. No, we need to get rid of barriers. This idea of lowering walls. No, we need to blow them up… As I think about the role in philanthropy, and this idea of really having an impact, it really is about sharing power.” 

Nora Moreno Cargie 

“I feel like the recognition of all of this coming together just feels like a sort of full circle moment for me and I feel deeply aligned and feel like the mission of YW Boston is deeply aligned personally with the mission of Lisa Fortenberry.” 

Lisa Fortenberry 

“I’m not a gatekeeper for stories. What I get to do for a radio piece is I leave as much space as possible. And thus, the journalism isn’t extractive. Suddenly, the journalism becomes this abundant tale of anything and everything [the subject wants] it to be, and we collaborate for those stories to happen.” 

Cristela Guerra 

“I think it’s hard sometimes to speak truth to power. Sometimes it’s not safe. So, where you can, ask. Ask for the raise. But where you’re not comfortable, maybe there’s a seed there. If you’re in a corporation, if you’re not in an organization that’s inclusive… find other people and speak collectively to power.”

Andrea Silbert

 You can watch a recording of the 28th Academy of Women Achievers here.