Women's eNews Announces Honorees for 21 Leaders for the 21st Century Awards Gala

Lori Sokol, PhD, Executive Director & Editor-in-Chief, Women's eNews, has announced the Honorees for its virtual 21 Leaders for the 21st Century Awards Gala celebrating 20 years of Women's eNews, to take place on October 26.

The honorees include: Taina Bien-Aimé - Executive Director, The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women; Chantal Bonitto - Director of Inclusive Philanthropy, Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Suzanne Braun Levine, Founding Editor, Ms. Magazine; Ariela Esquenazi - CEO and President, Ariela & Associates International; Tamsen Fadal - 12-time Emmy award-winning anchor, PIX11 NEWS; Sapphira Goradia - Executive Director of the Vijay and Marie Goradia Foundation; Susan Herman - President, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); Jessica Houssian - Co-CEO, Equality Fund; Letitia James - New York State Attorney General; Imara Jones - Emmy award-winning creator, TransLash Media; Evelyn LaChapelle - Founder, 87, Creator, The Heart of Cannabis; Dr. Marianne Legato - President, Founder and Director, The Foundation for Gender-Specific Medicine; Congresswoman Carolyn D. Maloney - (NY-12); Sharon Nelson - CEO & President, Civically Re-Engaged Women; Maria Nunez - Activist and Philanthropist; Evora Russell - Co-Founder, Curvy Couture; Melissa St. Clair - Senior Director, Innovation & Diversity Strategies, TIAA; Mona Sinha - Activist and Philanthropist, Board Chair of Women Moving Millions; Edie Windsor - (in Memoriam), LGBT Rights Activist; Teresa Younger - President & CEO, Ms. Foundation for Women.

"Our 2020 honorees reflect our most diverse group of honorees ever, representing women of color and the LGBTQI community, as well as leaders in the for-profit and non-profit arenas. It is clear that in order for women to achieve gender equality, we ALL need to work together toward this common goal," says Lori Sokol, PhD, Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief of Women's eNews. "The diversity of our honorees represents the true diversity of the world we inhabit."

Cheryl Wills, Emmy award-winning Spectrum News NY1 Anchor NY1 Live at Ten, Host of In Focus with Cheryl Wills, author, and past 21 Leaders for the 21st Century honoree, will host the gala for the first time. Loreen Arbus, president of The Loreen Arbus Foundation, The Goldenson-Arbus Foundation, and Loreen Arbus Productions, Inc., is Honorary Gala Chair. Gloria Joseph, philanthropist and journalist, and Suzanne Lerner, co-founder and president, Michael Stars, are Honorary Gala Co-Chairs.

The Loreen Arbus Champion for Disabilities Award, which pays tribute to a pioneer in the disability community, will be presented in honor of humanitarian and activist Loreen Arbus to Becky Curran Kekula, international motivational speaker and disability inclusion advocate.

The Rita Henley Jensen Founder Award will be presented to Suzanne Braun Levine, Ms. Magazine founding Editor.

The inaugural Dorothy Height Champion for Civil Rights Award will be presented to Letitia James, New York State Attorney General.

The inaugural Marcy Syms Leader for Gender Equality Award will be presented to Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, U.S. Representative for New York's 12th congressional district in New York.

The inaugural Edie Windsor Pioneer for LGBTQ Equality Award is also being established in her honor.