Sisterhood of Greatness Award Winners

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Sisterhood Agenda is proud to announce the extraordinary individuals and agencies that comprise our Sisterhood of Greatness Award winners.

On Sisterhood Agenda’s 25^th Anniversary we choose to serve as a beacon of light and love that celebrates sisters who have given voice and wings for others to soar and reach their potential.

We recognize the following extraordinary, courageous, unstoppable women and celebrate the path they chose to make a difference. This historical moment will be etched in the spirits and in the halls of the sacred and historical space celebrating our gender, history, and culture in Washington, DC.

CELEBRATING SISTERHOOD:  25 YEARS OF SERVICE

WINNER:  Alejandra Y. Castillo, YWCA USA

Alejandra Y. Castillo is the CEO of YWCA USA which serves 2.3 million women and girls around the country with a network of over 200 associations. YWCA plays a dual role as both a social service provider and an advocate for reform and justice.

Alejandra has over two decades of professional experience in Washington, D.C., having served in senior leadership in two presidential administrations. Given her policy, legal and business expertise, she has worked in various public, private and non-profit settings. In 2014, Alejandra was appointed by the Obama Administration to serve as the national director of the Minority Business Development Agency, becoming the first Hispanic American woman to lead the agency. In that role, she helped secure financing and capital in excess of $19 billion and created or retained over 33,000 jobs.

Alejandra holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in
economics and political science; a Master of Arts degree in public policy from the Lyndon Baines
Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin; and a Juris Doctorate from American University, Washington College of Law. Alejandra is an active member in various civic and professional organizations, and currently serves on several boards. She considers herself an example of the American dream and is proud to have raised two amazing nieces she calls her daughters. A long-standing and committed resident of the District of Columbia, Alejandra is a supporter of the arts and an avid international traveler. (Award accepted by Tycely Williams, Vice President of Development.)

MANIFEST YOUR GREATNESS WITH THIS AFFIRMATION

WINNER:  Dr. E. Faye Williams, National Congress of Black Women

Dr. E. Faye Williams is a teacher, minister, administrator, business owner, talk show host, journalist,  peace and human rights activist, attorney, and author who is also the daughter of former sharecroppers.  Dr. Williams distinguished herself academically by graduating from Grambling University magna cum laude and going on to earn numerous academic credentials, including a law degree from the Howard University School of Law, a Ph.D. and a D.Min.

Dr. Williams has served as National President of the Grambling Alumni Association and is a member of the University’s Hall of Fame.  She is currently National President of the National Congress of Black Women, and has previously served as Chief of Staff to the late DC Councilmember/Mayor Marion Barry and General Counsel to the late U.S. Congressman Mervyn Dymally of California.

Among the numerous awards and honors she has received are from the National Policy Alliance, Ebony Magazine’s Most Influential Black Americans and it’s Power 150.  She served on the Obama Administration’s Presidential Scholars Commission.

Dr. Williams has taught International Law, served as Director of the Overseas Education Association, and traveled all over the world.

WINNER:  Zena Howard, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture

Zena Howard is an architect, the managing director of Perkins & Will, and the former senior project manager for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture.

“We are working with communities that have historically been damaged or ignored, as co-partners with us in the design process.”

Observant from the start, Zena’s cultural awareness developed from her experiences growing up in various communities across the country. Her recognition that the built environment significantly impacts the human experience informs her continued exploration of design experiences that nurture positive change.

Early in her architecture career, Zena adopted the view that great design should be accessible to everyone.  More than creating a beautiful space, she leads projects that successfully navigate social issues of equity and justice—honoring history and memory and restoring lost cultural connections.

FIND YOUR BRILLIANCE USING THE SISTERHOOD OF GREATNESS MANIFESTO

WINNER:  Adrianne George, Black Women in Europe

Adrianne George, a native of Washington, D.C., moved to Europe in 2002. In 2006 she moved from Belgium to Sweden and founded the award-winning Black Women in Europe Blog. She later created a private social network and in 2009 launched the Black Women in Europe Power List: A List of Our Own.

Since 2007, she has been an active member of Democrats Abroad serving in several capacities in Sweden and globally. In 2008 she attended the Democratic National Convention to cover the Presidential nomination of Barack Obama as part of an accredited blogging team. In 2012, she was elected to be a Democrats Abroad Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention, and in 2016 she was elected to be a member of the Democratic National Committee. She is a member of Democrats Abroad’s Affirmative Action Committee and Chair of Democrats Abroad Sweden’s Black Caucus.

In addition to being a DNC Member and an overseas voter advocate, she is the immediate past President of the American Women’s Club of Stockholm, and creator of the Stockholm Expat blog. She is co-founder of the Women of the African Diaspora social network, and the Black Expat website.  Adrianne founded the Black Women in Europe Social Media Group nonprofit based in Sweden.

WINNER:  Special Announcement-See You There!

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