Words We Heard: ‘I admire every person I meet.’
This past Monday, October 23rd, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation and the Enquirer hosted the 49th Annual Women of the Year Awards Luncheon, recognizing 10 women who have made significant impacts on the community. Each of these women’s commitment and impact speaks for itself, it’s important to celebrate what this community is capable of.
Women of Cincy photographer Aurore Fournier captured the moments below during the event, and hearing each of these statements got me thinking. Women are so often the positive face in their communities when times are hard, or even when they’re good. I have a large network of women that I look up to, whether I know them personally or not, to gain support or develop an idea. Life would be a lot more challenging without those women. It’s exciting to hear about each of these women celebrated at this luncheon and imagine all of the people they have been a role model or mentor to.
– Ellen
“For me, those relationships that I’ve garnered and mentored, and the lives that I’ve touched, are what makes it work for me.” –Karen Bankston, Associate Dean of Clinical Practice, Partnership and Community Engagement and Professor at the UC College of Nursing
“It’s a solvable problem. The food is there… Our kids are hungry, and we need to help them.” –Suzy DeYoung, founder of La Soupe
“Life is a gift. We didn’t earn it. It’s a gift from God. We’re here to love God and our neighbor as yourself.” –Sister Sally Duffy, SC, co-chair of The Child Poverty Collaborative and TriHealth and Price Hill Will board member
“It just feels good to give back and make a real difference in everyday life.” –Mildred (Mimi) Mosher Dyer, La Soupe business partner, ProKids and Kindervelt volunteer, and Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha board member
“A lot of us in Cincinnati grew up thinking it wasn’t a big issue, but a lot of the religious intolerance and hatred that emerged in the last election campaign made us all rethink that issue.” –Sandy Kaltman, President and Interfaith/Intergroup Relations Committee Chair of American Jewish Committee and founder of Dor L’Dor, Generation to Generation
“I realized I could make a more powerful impact working collaboratively.” –Pam Kravetz, Artworks trustee, artist, and art educator
“The idea is to, bit by bit, help people attain those needs, give them self-esteem and a pathway to safety.” –Susan Landis, co-founder of Maslow’s Army
“Decisions of the past don’t dictate the future.” –Jo Frances Martin, founder and director of Tattoo Removal Ink
“As a foreign-born woman, I faced many challenges to reach my educational and professional goals. I believe in helping all women who may need a helping hand to achieve their goals as well.” –Zeinab Schwen of the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati, Leadership Council of The Women’s Fund of GCF, and a YWCA board member
“I just really love meeting people. I love hearing their story. I admire every person I meet.” –Lauren Hannan Shafer, co-chair of Saturday Hoops, Cincinnati Youth Collaborative mentor, and Artworks board member