2020 Shero awards

On Tuesday, December 1st, the Seattle Chapter of NOW hosted their 4th Annual Shero Awards honoring Dr. Helen Chu, a Seattle Flu Study Director who is credited with identifying the first community transmission of the coronavirus in the U.S., New York Times best-selling author and activist Ijeoma Oluo, and Jeri Moomaw, the Founder and executive director of Innovations Human Trafficking Collaborative (IHTC), for their outstanding accomplishments and advocacy for women’s rights throughout their community and beyond.

The virtual celebration kicked off with a cocktail hour, some good tunes and feminist trivia. Emcee Hillary Moralez then began the formal program with a lively welcome and introduced Seattle NOW President Kjersten Gmeiner who recognized all the Shero nominations and awarded this year’s honorees.

It was truly inspiring to hear from these extraordinary women about the passionate work they do to change the world. Dr. Helen Chu expressed that when this pandemic is over, the community needs to work hard to keep women from falling behind after taking the brunt as frontline workers and caregivers. Ijeoma Oluo reminded the audience the urgency with which they must act to dismantle white supremacy, while maintaining a deep faith in humanity and its capacity to bring about positive change. IHTC Founder Jeri Moomaw illustrated how having survivors at the front of change can greatly help everyone fight the devastating toll of human trafficking to create a space of healing for the survivors, and ultimately bring lasting change to the system that produces trafficking. 

The rousing event culminated with President Kjersten Gmeiner thanking event sponsors, including women founded and owned DRY Botanical Bubbly, and the audience for their support in making this event a success.