A judge and a lawyer are among the ten women Girls Inc. has selected to be honored at the 11th annual UnBought and UnBossed Awards luncheon. Named for the phrase coined by Shirley Chisholm during her run for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination, the UnBought & UnBossed Awards honor local women who through their career and community involvement have made a significant impact on the lives of women and girls. Community members submit nominations of women residing in Hamilton County, and the ten honorees are chosen by ten high school-aged girls participating in Girls Inc.’s Women History Project.
The 2015 honorees from the local Bar are Judge Christie Mahn Sell, Hamilton County General Sessions Court, and attorney Amanda Dunn, a partner at the law firm of Luther-Anderson.
Judge Sell praised Girls Inc., and said she’s looking forward to working with the girl who chose her, Dessa O’Neal, a freshman at Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts. “It’s an honor to be a part of what Girls Inc. does to empower and enrich the lives of girls now and for their futures,” she said. “I’m excited to mentor Dessa, and hope to positively influence her by sharing my experiences and exposing her to as much as I can over the next several months.”
The nomination took Dunn by surprise. She was even more delighted when she discovered she’d been selected by one of the young women benefiting from the programs provided by Girls Inc.
“I’m honored to be a recipient of the UnBought and UnBossed award. It’s a celebration of women who have contributed to the lives of other girls and women in their community, and I hope I can continue to live up to that ideal,” she said. “More importantly, I’m grateful to have an opportunity to build a connection with Girls Inc. and the amazing young lady who selected me as a recipient.”
The remaining honorees are: Darlene Boyd, loan originator, Regions Financial Corporation; Jo Coke, WTCI-PBS board member and community volunteer; Dorothy Grisham, agency owner, Allstate Insurance Company, Dr. Everlena M. Holmes, retired educator, community volunteer; Stacy Lightfoot, vice president, college and career success, Public Education Foundation; Kelly McCarthy, partner, Easy Designs; Molly R. Seal, M.D.; and Amy J. Walker, CEO, Buy It Local.
As part of the Women’s History Project, girls learn about the history of women’s rights in the United States and about the traits of leaders. This information is the basis for the girls to nominate an honoree that inspires them. In addition, the participants hone their interview, research, and public speaking skills as they develop presentations to deliver in tribute to the UnBought and UnBossed honorees at the annual awards luncheon in April.
In addition to O’Neal, the girls participating in this year’s Women’s History Project are: Ebony Boston, freshman, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences; A’Keia Colley, junior, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy; Jestiny Desmond. Sophomore, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy; Macy Hammon, sophomore, Hixson High School; Jasmine Pulliam, senior, Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts; JahReese Radden, senior, Ooltewah High School; Aareon Reed, freshman, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy; Maya Thirkill, junior, Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts; and Terri Wright, junior, at Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts.
The Eleventh Annual UnBought & UnBossed Awards luncheon will be held Thursday, April 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
Tables for the luncheon are available at www.UnBoughtandUnBossed.net. For sponsorship information, contact Phil Trammell at (423) 624-4757 or ptrammell@girlsincofchatt.org.
Some information: Girls Inc.