Earlier this month, The New York Women’s Foundation alongside supporters, grantee partners, advocates and fellow community members gathered for two seminal fundraising events: the Neighborhood Dinner, an evening honoring community changemakers across all five boroughs of New York City, and the Radical Generosity Dinner, centered on advocacy of the fight for justice to further The Foundation’s mission to advance liberation for all.
Both bespoke events raised funds toward future Foundation grantmaking efforts, and were highlighted by several recognition moments, special appearances and performances detailed below.
Neighborhood Dinner Celebrates Vibrant Communities of New York City
With over 200 supporters in attendance from the greater New York area, the evening was hosted by Sheila Boston, former President of the New York City Bar Association, at the Golden Unicorn in Chinatown and featured a special Lion Dance performance by Sifu Paula Wong and the Shaolin Kung Fu Temple students. The 2022 Neighborhood Dinner Steering Committee included: Meeka Bondy, Kwanza Butler, Angie Wang, and Elizabeth Wang.
The Foundation’s Neighborhood Leadership Awards – which honor exceptional women whose courage and leadership have transformed their communities for women and families – recognized five impactful innovators to further amplify The Foundation’s commitment to all five boroughs of New York City:
- Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director, Asian American Federation (Manhattan)
- Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez, President and Chief Executive Officer, Urban Health Plan (Bronx)
- La’Shawn Allen-Muhammad, Executive Director, Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation (Brooklyn)
- Saeeda Dunston, Executive Director, Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities, Inc. (Queens)
- Yesenia Mata, Executive Director, La Colmena (Staten Island)
Additionally, The Neighborhood Dinner recognized the Alumnae of the Board of Directors of The New York Women’s Foundation with the Lifetime Achievement Award for their longstanding commitment to women and families in New York and beyond.
“I look forward to the Neighborhood Dinner every year because it reminds us of the deep roots of solidarity, trust, and love grounding The Foundation’s work,” says Vice President of Development Madeline Lamour Holder. “We join together across shared tables and plates in a beautiful moment of celebration that honors communities and leaders making New York a more equitable city for all.”
Radical Generosity Dinner “Meets the Moment” in Journey to an Equitable and Just Future
The highlight of the evening held at the J.W. Marriott Essex House was a thought-provoking panel discussion, moderated by award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa, Founder of Futuro Media and Vice President of Futuro Investigates, featuring an impressive lineup of honorees who have made significant strides toward economic and social justice across New York City and nationally:
- Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage
- Maya Wiley, President and CEO of The Leadership Conference of Civil and Human Rights
- Ed Zimmerman, Partner at Lowenstein Sandler and Founding Partner of First Close Partners
“It is both an honor and a privilege to celebrate such powerful agents of change at this year’s Radical Generosity Dinner,” said Ana L. Oliveira, President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation. “Together we must persevere in the face of the recent attacks on our freedoms and incite action to create the solutions that will advance liberation for all.” 
One hundred percent of the proceeds from the annual Radical Generosity Dinner funds grantmaking to support The Foundation’s investment in grantee partners to advance gender, racial, and economic justice. The event was Co-Chaired by Anne E. Delaney and Lola C. West, alongside Vice-Chair Jean Shafiroff.
Both events punctuated The Foundation’s ongoing 35th Anniversary celebrations, which kicked off earlier this spring. During its tenure, The Foundation has granted over $100 million to community-centered grantee partners and has played a key role in creating the future that women and gender non-expansive people in New York City and beyond deserve.
