The New York Women's Foundation®

HONORING

Our 2010 Grantee Partners
To be announced at the Breakfast

Mary J. Blige
Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Actress, Philanthropist
The Vision Award

Mary J. Blige is a nine-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, producer and actress who has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide since her career began in 1992. With her 1992 debut “What’s The 411?,” Mary J. Blige went from promising newcomer to the Queen of Hip Hop Soul. Mary has used that voice of reckoning to triumph many causes close to her heart in order to make an impact outside of the studio. She has been active with many community organizations and AIDS awareness programs such as Minority AIDS Project. Mary’s latest charitable endeavor, the creation of The Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now, Inc. (FFAWN) is her most significant philanthropic undertaking to date. FFAWN’s mission is to help women gain the confidence and skills necessary to reach their full individual potential.

Mary’s full bio

Mary J. Blige, Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Actress, Philanthropist

Mary J. Blige is a nine-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, producer and actress who has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide since her career began in 1992.

With her 1992 debut “What’s The 411?,” Mary J. Blige went from promising newcomer to the Queen of Hip Hop Soul. Numerous sold out tours, critical acclaim, unerring fan support and a roomful of awards – nine Grammys, six Soul Train Awards, five Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, four American Music Awards, two NAACP Image Awards among many others – later, Mary is still royalty and the template by which other singers are judged. While others coast, Mary challenges and channels struggle into success. A Mary album signals renewal, revelation and joyous redemption because Mary’s songs come directly from her heart, faith, soul and life.

As she’s done throughout her career Mary’s musical palate reflects her lifelong affinity for old school soul and R&B and an unmistakable connection to hip hop. And with every album she has proven that hers is a voice of healing; a voice of reckoning. Her 8th and current studio album, “Growing Pains” (released 12/18/07 on Matriarch/Geffen), reached platinum in three weeks and is continuing to grab the hearts of the critics and fans alike.

Mary has used that voice of reckoning to triumph many causes close to her heart in order to make an impact outside of the studio. She has been active with many community organizations and AIDS awareness programs such as Minority AIDS Project, and in 2001 was honored for community activism with Rock the Vote’s Patrick Lippert Award.

Mary’s latest charitable endeavor, the creation of The Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now, Inc. (FFAWN) is her most significant philanthropic undertaking to date. FFAWN’s mission is to help women gain the confidence and skills necessary to reach their full individual potential

Not one to rest on her laurels or turn down new challenges, Mary found time in 2007 to explore her acting potential with roles on the hit CBS drama “The Ghost Whisperer” and HBO’s comedy smash “Entourage,” where Mary stole the show from Ari Gold.

Proving once again that Mary J. Blige is a continuing force to be reckoned with, 2008 brought forth a wealth of accolades. Not only did “Growing Pains” continue to top the charts, but at the 50th Anniversary Grammy celebration Mary won two out of her three award nominations. Additionally in the spring of 2008, Mary partnered with rap superstar Jay-Z to kick off the highly successful “Mary J. Blige & Jay-Z: Heart of the City Tour” in Miami, Florida. The Heart of the City Tour is considered by many to be the pinnacle of Mary and Jay’s long-time collaboration, which began in 1996 with the classic “Can’t Knock the Hustle.”

Mary brought 2008 to a close with her highly successful “Love Soul Tour” featuring Robin Thicke.

Continuing her success, Mary began 2009 with a Grammy win for “Growing Pains” in the category Best Contemporary R&B Album. Mary is currently in the studio working on a new album and can also be seen playing a nightclub manager and singer in Tyler Perry’s next movie “I Can Do Bad All by Myself” which will be released September 11, 2009. Additionally, Mary will launch her new fragrance “My Life” with Brooklyn based cosmetics company Carol’s Daughter in 2010.

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Eileen Fisher
Founder and Chief Creative Officer, EILEEN FISHER, Inc.
The Vision Award

At the heart of EILEEN FISHER is great design. With the intention of creating beautifully simple clothing designed to move with real life, Eileen Fisher founded her company in 1984. Eileen strives for balance in her role as a mother, designer, and business leader. As a socially conscious company, EILEEN FISHER is dedicated to guiding our product towards sustaining the environment, practicing business responsibly with absolute regard for human rights and funding grant programs which focus on improving the well being of women and girls. Our current grant program provides funding for nonprofit organizations focused on activating leadership in women and girls. For the past 6 years we have offered a program for women-owned businesses, which has provided funds to 25 women entrepreneurs to help grow their businesses.

Eileen’s full bio

Margarita Rosa
Social Justice Advocate and Executive Director
Grand Street Settlement
The Celebrating Women® Award

Margarita Rosa, Esq. has dedicated much of her life to the pursuit and promotion of social justice. Her commitment to social justice and equity led her to become a civil rights lawyer. She graduated cum laude from Princeton University and earned her J.D. degree at the Harvard Law School. In 1985, Margarita was appointed General Counsel of the New York State Division of Human Rights, the state agency that enforces NYS’ anti-discrimination law (the Human Rights Law). In 1990, Governor Mario Cuomo appointed her New York State’s Human Rights Commissioner. She was the first woman, first Hispanic and youngest person appointed to that position. Since 1995, Margarita has led a community-based, human service organization, the Grand Street Settlement (GSS), located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Margarita has taught public policy/public administration and law, and has spoken extensively on subjects related to human rights, justice and equality, and inclusive diversity.

Margarita’s full bio

Margarita Rosa, Esq., Social Justice Advocate and Executive Director Grand Street Settlement

Margarita Rosa, Esq. has dedicated much of her life to the pursuit and promotion of social justice. As an undergraduate she joined other students in advocating, and planning for, the creation of the Third World Culture Center (now the Carl Fields Center) at Princeton University. Through the Third World Culture Center (TWC) she gained a deeper understanding of, and strengthened her commitment to, enriching the human experience by promoting and embracing inclusive diversity.

As a student, and later as a member of Princeton’s Alumni Schools Committee, Margarita recruited students to college from inner city schools in NYC, her hometown.

In college, she worked closely with other students of color to promote inter-group understanding and respect and to ensure that students of color had the opportunity to be equal participants in the life of the university and that the voices of those in the minority were heard.

Margarita’s commitment to social justice and equity led her to become a civil rights lawyer. She became a staff attorney at the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (now Latino Justice) where she worked on cases that successfully challenged policies and practices that denied Puerto Ricans and other Latinos equal opportunity to employment, education, and access to services.

In 1985, Margarita was appointed General Counsel of the New York State Division of Human Rights, the state agency that enforces NYS’ anti-discrimination law (the Human Rights Law). In 1990, Governor Mario Cuomo appointed her New York State’s Human Rights Commissioner. Margarita’s time at the NYS Division of Human Rights (DHR) coincided with the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic. During those years, persons who had, or were perceived to have, AIDS or the HIV virus, often became victims of discrimination in housing, in employment and in places of public accommodation such as hospitals and clinics. As Commissioner, Margarita issued precedent setting orders that helped remove barriers to fair and equal treatment for persons with HIV and other persons with disabilities. She also issued Commissioner’s Orders in a significant number of cases involving sexual harassment, including the first case that applied the protections of the law in cases of same sex sexual harassment. Margarita oversaw and promoted the work of DHR’s Crisis Prevention Unit. The unit responded to incidents of bias-related violence or harassment and it also engaged in public education aimed at reducing incidents of inter-group conflicts.

Since 1995, Margarita has led a community-based, human service organization, the Grand Street Settlement (GSS), located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. As GSS’ Executive Director, Margarita has successfully diversified the composition of the agency’s staff, its board of directors, and its constituents. Grand Street Settlement’s constituents include people of all ages, races, colors, creeds, sexual orientations, and levels of physical ability. GSS currently serves people (mostly “low income” people) with origins in Latin America, the Caribbean, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe. Services are provided in a number of different languages including, but not limited to, English, Spanish, several dialects of Chinese, and Bangla. Margarita takes pride in the fact that, at the Grand Street Settlement, diversity is appreciated, respected and embraced. Most of GSS’ program activities are multi-ethnic and multi-racial. Intergenerational activities (e.g. between teens and older adults, or young children and older adults) are among the most inspiring and endearing.

Margarita Rosa has helped shape the public conversation about justice and equality. Her work has, and continues to help transform lives. She is an advocate and activist for social justice. Margarita has taught public policy/public administration and law to graduate students and has spoken extensively on subjects related to human rights, justice and equality, and inclusive diversity.

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EMCEE

Soledad O’Brien
CNN Anchor and Special Correspondent

Soledad O’Brien is an anchor and special correspondent for CNN/U.S. Since joining the network in 2003, O’Brien has reported breaking news from around the globe and has produced award-winning and record-breaking documentaries on the most important stories facing the world today. O’Brien was part of the coverage teams that earned CNN a George Foster Peabody award for its Katrina coverage and an Alfred I. duPont Award for its coverage of the tsunami. The NAACP honored her with its President’s Award in 2007 for her humanitarian efforts and journalistic excellence. In 2008, she was the first recipient of the Soledad O’Brien Freedom’s Voice Award from the Morehouse School of Medicine for being a catalyst for social change. In 2009, she received the 2009 Medallion of Excellence for Leadership and Community Service Award from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

Soledad’s full bio

Soledad O’Brien, CNN Anchor and Special Correspondent

Soledad O’Brien is an anchor and special correspondent for CNN/U.S. Since joining the network in 2003, O’Brien has reported breaking news from around the globe and has produced award-winning and record-breaking documentaries on the most important stories facing the world today. She also covers political news as part of CNN’s “Best Political Team on Television.”

O’Brien’s most recent project, Latino in America, was a wide-ranging look at Latinos living in this country; how they’re reshaping America and how America is reshaping them. Earlier this year, O’Brien reported for Black in America 2, a four-hour documentary focusing on successful community leaders who are improving the lives of African-Americans. O’Brien’s reporting for Black in America in 2008 revealed the state of Black America 40 years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She has also reported for the CNN documentary Words That Changed a Nation, featuring a never-before-seen look at Dr. King’s private writings and notes, and investigated his assassination in Eyewitness to Murder: The King Assassination. Her Children of the Storm project and One Crime at a Time documentary demonstrate O’Brien’s continued commitment to covering stories out of New Orleans.

O’Brien joined CNN in July 2003 as the co-anchor of the network’s flagship morning program, American Morning, and distinguished herself by reporting from the scene on the transformational stories that broke on her watch, including Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami in Southeast Asia. For CNN’s Katrina coverage, O’Brien’s reports on the storm’s impact included an in-depth interview with former FEMA chief Michael Brown. She also covered the London terrorism attacks in July 2005, and in December 2004, she was among a handful of CNN anchors sent to Thailand to cover the disaster and aftermath of the tsunami.

O’Brien was part of the coverage teams that earned CNN a George Foster Peabody award for its Katrina coverage and an Alfred I. duPont Award for its coverage of the tsunami. Her numerous other awards include a Gracie Allen Award in 2007 for her reporting from Cyprus on the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict as well as her reports from the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. The NAACP honored her with its President’s Award in 2007 for her humanitarian efforts and journalistic excellence. In 2008, she was the first recipient of the Soledad O’Brien Freedom’s Voice Award from the Morehouse School of Medicine for being a catalyst for social change. Also in 2008, O’Brien was the first recipient of The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Goodermote Humanitarian Award for her efforts while reporting on the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina and the Southeast Asia tsunami. In 2009, she received the 2009 Medallion of Excellence for Leadership and Community Service Award from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

O’Brien came to CNN from NBC News where she anchored the network’s Weekend Today since July 1999. Prior, O’Brien anchored MSNBC’s award-winning technology program The Site. O’Brien joined NBC News in 1991 and was based in New York as a field producer for Nightly News and TODAY. Before her time at NBC, she served three years as a local reporter and bureau chief for the NBC affiliate KRON in San Francisco. She began her career as an associate producer and news writer at the then-NBC affiliate WBZ-TV in Boston.

O’Brien is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. She is a graduate of Harvard University.

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