Under a canopy of light and energy at Industry City in Brooklyn, more than three hundred guests gathered for an evening that felt as vital as it was visionary. The New York Women’s Foundation hosted its 31st annual Neighborhood Dinner—an event that has long celebrated the heart of grassroots leadership—with the 2025 theme, Powering Forward, Together. The dinner was a radiant testament to the Foundation’s mission: to invest in women and gender-expansive people who are transforming their neighborhoods, and by doing so, reshaping the world.

PR Powerhouse Norah Lawlor, a powerwoman and the principal of Lawlor Media Group, always puts a focus and womens causes and gets the attention focused on the right matters.

From its first gathering in 1994, the Neighborhood Dinner has honored the bold, the compassionate, and the creative. Each year, it shines a light on the individuals who prove that community change begins at the local level, through courage, collaboration, and care. The 2025 celebration continued that legacy, bringing together an inspiring group of honorees whose work bridges the spaces between art, justice, entrepreneurship, and service.

A Night of Connection and Courage

The evening opened with a spirited panel conversation moderated by Camille Emeagwali, featuring Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director of UPROSE, and Renette Bradley of Housing Justice for All. Their dialogue underscored the urgency of local action and the ways community-led leadership continues to move the city forward. As voices from Brooklyn’s most vibrant advocacy networks filled the room, it was clear that the dinner was more than an awards celebration—it was a forum for progress.

Throughout the space, art installations and performances mirrored the dynamism of the Foundation’s work. Youth artists from Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy and viBe Theater Experience took the stage, offering movement and storytelling that captured the themes of resilience and collective strength. Catering was provided by partners from the Violence Intervention Program (VIP Mujeres), underscoring the Foundation’s practice of uplifting women-led enterprises at every level of its events.

Honoring Vision and Impact

The 2025 honorees represented the spectrum of leadership that defines New York’s most transformative women.

Linda Goode Bryant, recipient of the Neighborhood Leadership Award, was celebrated for her lifelong dedication to bridging art and social justice. Through her pioneering projects—Just Above Midtown and Project EATS—she has reimagined how creativity can feed both body and spirit, transforming vacant spaces into community farms and cultural hubs.

Lorena Kourousias, also honored with the Neighborhood Leadership Award, was recognized for her role as Executive Director of Mixteca, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit serving Latinx immigrant families. Her work in education, healing, and empowerment has built pathways of belonging for thousands navigating new lives in New York City.

The Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award was presented to Luisa Navarro, a journalist and creative entrepreneur whose company Mexico In My Pocket celebrates Mexican heritage through storytelling, commerce, and community events. Navarro’s vision is not only an homage to cultural identity but a blueprint for how small businesses can sustain local economies and cultural pride.

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Stacey Cumberbatch, whose three-decade career in public service and philanthropy has shaped New York City’s systems of equity and access. Her leadership—spanning City Hall, nonprofits, and advisory boards—has continually emphasized the importance of representation and collaboration in civic progress.

Also recognized was Brennan Gang, whose leadership at the Korean American Community Foundation has elevated immigrant voices and strengthened the national nonprofit network. Her work reflects the Foundation’s own belief in connection as the cornerstone of community power.

The Power of Collective Vision

At the heart of the evening stood Ana L. Oliveira, President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation. Her words carried the room with a sense of conviction and purpose: “Courage is as contagious as fear,” she reminded the audience, “and it is a choice which one we want to share.” Under her stewardship, the Foundation has continued to expand its impact, prioritizing community-based organizations that develop sustainable, self-determined solutions.

Co-Chairs Mary Baglivo and Danielle Moss Cox, along with Helene Banks, Michelle Henry, and Elba Montalvo of the Neighborhood Dinner Steering Committee, guided the evening with warmth and grace. Together, they honored not only the five award recipients but also the hundreds of women-led organizations that have shaped The Foundation’s story over nearly four decades.

Thirty-One Years of Transformative Giving

Since its founding in 1987, The New York Women’s Foundation has grown into one of the largest women-led grantmaking institutions in the world. To date, it has distributed more than $133 million to over 500 organizations—funding programs that address racial and gender equity, economic security, reproductive justice, and community safety. What sets the Foundation apart is its commitment to grassroots partnership: it listens first, funds locally, and amplifies the expertise of those directly shaping their communities.

The Neighborhood Dinner embodies this philosophy. Each honoree’s journey reflects the Foundation’s core belief that solutions should not be imposed from above, but cultivated from within the neighborhoods they serve. It is this approach that continues to make the Foundation’s impact both deep and enduring.

A Celebration Rooted in Brooklyn

Industry City, with its vast industrial beams and creative energy, provided an ideal setting for the 2025 dinner—a meeting ground of art, culture, and innovation. Guests mingled among installations from local artists, shared stories over dishes crafted by women-owned businesses, and celebrated the interconnectedness that defines Brooklyn’s spirit. The atmosphere was electric with possibility, the kind that lingers long after the last toast.

By night’s end, applause rang through the hall as the honorees stood together—five women from different worlds, united by their dedication to building a city where justice and opportunity are shared. Their achievements illuminated what the Foundation has long understood: when women lead, communities thrive.

As The New York Women’s Foundation continues its work across all five boroughs, the message of the evening remained clear—progress is not a solitary act but a shared movement, powered forward, together.

The New York Women’s Foundation, Ana L Oliveira, Jean Shafiroff, Linda Goode Bryant, Lorena Kourousias, Luisa Navarro, Stacey Cumberbatch, Brennan Gang, Camille Emeagwali, Elizabeth Yeampierre, Renette Bradley, Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy, viBe Theater Experience, Violence Intervention Program, Industry City Brooklyn, Mary Baglivo, Danielle Moss Cox, Helene Banks, Michelle Henry, Elba Montalvo, Norah Lawlor, Lawlor Media Group, Gender Equity, Community Leadership, Philanthropy, Women Changemakers, Brooklyn Events, New York Nonprofits, Neighborhood Dinner, Social Justice, Economic Empowerment, Latinx Leadership, Korean American Community Foundation, Grassroots Philanthropy, Cultural Entrepreneurship, Women’s Leadership, Community Advocacy, Arts and Justice, NYC Events 2025