Saturday evening at the Grace Lutheran Church, on the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, Ruth Broyde Sharone and the Rev. Doris Davis will be honored along with the author-activist Marianne Williamson at the Sparkie Visionary Leadership Awards.
The two Culver City residents and Ms. Williamson are deemed women “whose bright visions are sparking positive change,” and their accomplishments will be celebrated, starting at 7 o’clock at Grace Lutheran, 4427 Overland Ave.
“To be a catalyst for change in the world starts with an inspiring idea,” said a spokesperson for the ceremony. “It takes tenacity and wisdom to allow this spark to ignite passion in others and fuel a vision that creates synergy and gathers momentum.”
Organizers say that the centennial of International Women’s Day has inspired the birth of such a notion.
The Sparkie Visionary Leadership Award has been conceived to allow women to acknowledge the roots of their inspiration as the sparks from which their own visions have been ignited. The unique hometown evening will include music, dramatizations, laughter and wisdom shared.
12 Honorees
The Sparkie Visionary Leadership Award recipients are three women who have, in turn, been asked to pay it forward and chose three other women who have been the roots of their inspiration. All 12 women being honored at this event have been judged to exemplify dynamic, diverse feminine leadership.
Ms. Williamson is a well-known spiritual activist, best-selling author and founder of The Peace Alliance.
Ms. Broyde Sharone is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and interfaith activist. The Rev. Davis is an interfaith minister who, on Tuesday, will begin a seven-month walk across America to underscore the notion that women’s full and equally valued participation and contributions — in partnership with men — are essential now to resolve global challenges. See www.sole2soulwalk.com
Others receiving awards are Rev. Dr.Gwynne Guibord, an interfaith leader, founder of “The Guibord Center- Religion Inside Out”; Yoland Trevino, regarded as a visionary leadership educator, Chair of the Global Council for United Religions Initiative; Dr. Mehnaz M. Afridi, professor of Religious Studies, promoter of the principles of Islamic human rights globally; Mary Manin Morissey, New Thought minister, author of “Building Your Dreams”; Peggy Albrecht, founder of “Friendly House,” a safe haven for women on the road to recovery; Kathy Freston, health and wellness expert, author of the Quantum Wellness series; Dale Allen, multifaceted performance artist, creator of “In Our Right Minds”; Miriam Reed, author/ actress/ filmmaker, co-founder of Women's Theatre Festival; and Peace Pilgrim, (deceased) a pioneer peace activist who walked America for 28 years (accepted by Mark Skelton);
The Sparkie Visionary Leadership Awards is a benefit to raise funding for a documentary film about the Sole 2 Sole Walk, “Gathering WOmentum” that will be made by the Rev. Davis’s daughter, Viveka Davis Reed, an artist / actress / filmmaker. Tickets may be purchased at the door for $15. Seating is limited. RSVP to sparky.award@gmail.com
