The 5th Annual Shero Awards

This annual celebration will be held Sunday, October 3rd, 2021 at El Centro de la Raza's Centilia Cultural Center in the beautiful, Latino-inspired Plaza Roberto Maestas. A social hour will commence at 5p featuring light bites and desserts along with games and a silent auction. The program will then kick off with a welcome from emcee Hillary Moralez followed by the formal awards ceremony.

Health & Safety Information: For the safety of our guests and the greater community, we are requiring all in-person guests to be against COVID-19. Please be prepared to show proof of vaccination upon arrival. For event updates and resources on providing vaccination records, check our and .

Please note, we are working to provide a virtual component to this event. Stay tuned!

• Claire Wilson - WA State Senator, 30th District, Federal Way

• Alicia Crank - Chief Development Officer for AtWork! and Founder of Edmonds Women’s Day

• Paula Newman-Skomski - Founder of Peoria Home, ARNP

About Claire Wilson

Claire Wilson’s legislative work has built on her 25 years at the Puget Sound Educational Services District and years teaching pregnant and parenting teens at Mt. Tahoma High School. She serves as Assistant Majority Whip of the Senate and Vice Chair of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee. Claire also serves on the Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation Committee and the Transportation Committee.

In addition to her legislative roles, Claire serves on the Task Force on Improving Institutional Education Programs and Outcomes, whose focus is to improve the coordination and delivery of education services to youth involved with the juvenile justice system, and the Washington State Leadership Board. Claire is the first openly lesbian State Senator in the history of the state, and is one of seven LGBTQ lawmakers in the Washington State Legislature.

About Alicia Crank

Alicia Crank is the Chief Development Officer for AtWork!, a highly supportive and innovative conduit between people with disabilities and employers in the community. Prior to this role, she was a leader in major fundraising and partnership roles at YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish, CityYear Seattle and Washington Business Week.

A Detroit native, Alicia held several leadership positions in corporate banking, education, business and the nonprofit sector in Silicon Valley. She began her career in Investment Banking and Cash Management, moved into the high tech industry then eventually into the nonprofit sector as an executive director of a community leadership program as well as nonprofit philanthropy.

In her community volunteerism, Alicia has worked with organizations that serve special needs children, the homeless, workforce and career development and helped organize a city-wide renters/tenants association.

About Paula Newman-Skomski

Paula Newman-Skomski is the Founder and Board President for Peoria Home in Everett Washington. Peoria Home is a 2-year residential community providing women who have been exploited through sex trafficking, prostitution, and addiction a safe rent-free home to live in while they work on addiction recovery, trauma therapy, education, and life skills training. Paula has been a Registered Nurse for 37 years, a Family Nurse Practitioner for 10 years, and has spent the past 17 working as a Forensic Nurse Examiner for Providence Intervention Center for Assault & Abuse, which is where she first became aware of the local problem of sex trafficking.

She began working towards the Peoria Home program in 2009 and they welcomed their first woman home in 2018. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and military sexual trauma, Paula identifies with many of the women who have come to Peoria Home for refuge and recovery. She provides care and support to all victims of interpersonal violence but feels most passionate about walking beside women as they reclaim their lives.

The Shero Awards, now in its fifth year, is an annual celebration that honors remarkable women for their outstanding accomplishments and advocacy for women’s rights throughout their community and beyond. In years past, we have recognized so many incredible Sheros including author and activist Ijeoma Oluo, human trafficking expert Jeri Moomaw, WA State House Representative Tina Orwall, Chief Research Officer for the Seattle Indian Health Board Abigail Echo-Hawk and Sarah Weddington, the litigator who won the landmark case Roe vs. Wade, among others.

Bella Red Salon is the dynamic talents of owner/stylist Kristin Speakman and her talented team of stylists and associates, a hair salon at the intersection of fabulous haircuts and beautiful hair color.

They seek the most current training in their craft to empower the client with the most current styles and trends as the seasons change.

Learn more at BellaRedSalon.com

DRY Botanical Bubbly. Toast. Pair. Mix.

DRY Botanical Bubbly creates beautifully flavored, lightly-sweet sodas, made with just a handful of ingredients. With a commitment to simple ingredients, artistry, community, and most of all, delicious flavor, DRY Botanical Bubbly is showing the world that not all sodas are created equal.

Check out The Guide to Zero-Proof Cocktails! This is the go-to cocktail recipe book for anyone who is looking to drink less, cut it out altogether or simply wants to shake it up a bit.

Georgetown Brewing Company is an independently-owned Seattle craft brewery and the maker of Manny's Pale Ale. In May of 2017, after 14 years selling beer, they went from a draft-only production facility to canning select full-time beers. They now offer pints in their tasting room in addition to kegs, growlers and cans to go. Learn more.

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Please email any and all questions to [email protected].

Event Venue

El Centro De La Raza, 1660 S Roberto Maestas Festival St., Seattle, United States