We recently had the honor of hosting our Women of Influence event for 2024 on March 14th at the Dayton Convention Center. The women who were honored for their incredible contributions to the community include:

• Barbara Stewart Bostick, Owner, You & Me Inc.

• Belinda Kenley, Vice President, Energy Optimizers USA

• Janice Culver, Community Volunteer, and Philanthropist

• Nozipo Glenn, Community Advocate

• Sarah Hackenbracht, CEO, Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association

• Pat McDonald, Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

Nearly 1,000 attendees gathered at the event to celebrate these women and honor their achievements. People from all across Dayton and the region showed their support and love for the incredible achievements of people who have made a difference in our community.

Whether it be community philanthropy, advisement to change companies for the better, healthcare that improves outcomes for Dayton’s children, individual advocacy, or energy production, women in Dayton are changing our city and the world for the better.

One of the best parts of events like this is coming together to celebrate the achievements in our community, specifically by a group often not looked at societally for such great feats: women.

As YWCA Board Chair Jennifer Harrison said, “You will be inspired, engaged, and perhaps most important[ly], your presence here supports the critical missions of the YW.”

Our work is all about women. It is about supporting women and uplifting them, and often it is about offering them a safe space. Triumphantly though, we can offer them a celebratory space. A place to be honored. A place where they are shining as examples to Dayton. A place where all women belong.

We achieve this in a variety of ways, whether it be the Sojourner Academy, where women are prepared to lead social justice initiatives and nonprofits in our community, or Girls LEAD! Program, where young women are taught how to be leaders in their community. Regardless of your age, race, ethnicity, ability, or background, women have a place in YWCA, and we will work for them and honor them.

“United, we are unstoppable,” said YWCA Dayton CEO Terra Williams during the luncheon. “This is us and it takes all of us to break barriers, change minds, reshape systems and structures that oppose these critical human rights.”

When we unite and come together, we are unstoppable. Events like Women of Influence are more than just a place to honor women. It’s a place where we can build a community for women, uplift them, and empower them to stop injustices that affect women in Dayton, and across America.

We hope you will join us on that mission.