Introducing the 2021 Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame inductees!
The six remarkable women listed below will join the 333 women honored by Michigan Women Forward in a virtual ceremony at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 26.
During its Power of 100 Women virtual event, the nonprofit introduced the six women who will be inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in Lansing in October
LANSING, Mich. (August 2021) – Michigan Women Forward announced its 2021 Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame inductees during its Power of 100 Women virtual event on Wednesday, Aug. 11. The six Michigan women will be inducted in a virtual ceremony at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 26.
The contemporary inductees include Chief Executive Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance Rosalind Brewer, President of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation Diana Sieger, and Co-founder and Artistic Director of Detroit-Windsor Dance Academy Debra White-Hunt.
In the historical category, the Hall of Fame is recognizing the first female circuit court judge in Michigan, Lila Neuenfelt, founder of Fannie B. Peck Credit Union and The Detroit Housewives League, Fannie B. Peck, and civil rights activist and co-founder of the Action House, Sarah E. Ray.
The six women will join 333 other Hall of Fame inductees since its inception 38 years ago.
“These remarkable women represent leadership, courage, tenacity and strength,” said Carolyn Cassin, president and CEO, Michigan Women Forward. “They are all a testament to the limitless potential of Michigan girls and women, and they deserve to be celebrated.”
The HERstory Hall of Fame is located at 105 W. Allegan Street in downtown Lansing. It has been temporarily closed due to COVID-19 and a flood in January, and will reopen on Women’s Equality Day, Thursday, Aug. 26.
The Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame and Historical Center, also known as HERstory, was established in 1983 to tell the stories of women’s contributions to Michigan’s history, and to inspire the women and girls of tomorrow. For a complete list of inductees and more information about how the nonprofit is celebrating Michigan women, visit miwf.org.
Michigan Women Forward is proud to add six women to the HERstory Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. The selected inductees were nominated by your fellow Michiganders and voted on by a cohort of diverse judges. We will be celebrating these trailblazing women at a virtual ceremony on October 26.
Click here to learn about how to get involved as a supporter or sponsor.
Meet the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame 2021 inductees below! |
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| With her appointment in 2021, Roz Brewer became the only African American woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company. She was also the first African American to lead a Walmart division as president and CEO of Sam’s Club. While at Sam’s Club, she made a $13.6M commitment to women and minority business owners by increasing their access to capital via the company’s Small Business Economic Mobility Initiative. This commitment to marginalized communities through the creation of diverse and inclusive workforces has been a consistent theme for her in all her leadership roles. |
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| Diana R. Sieger is the President of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, a position she has held for nearly 34 years. Under her leadership, the assets have grown from $35M to nearly $400M. She has also led the GRCF in the creation of initiatives such as the LGBTQ Fund, African American Heritage Fund, and the Challenge Scholars Program. She is known to be outspoken within her community on many issues relating to gender equity and is stated to have prioritized racial justice within the GRCF which has positively influenced other foundations. |
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Debra White-Hunt is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of The Detroit-Windsor Dance Academy. She has been awarded several honors for her community development work including being granted a Milken National Educator Award, being named Michiganian of the Year, and being named a Crain’s Notable Woman in Non-Profits. She also was awarded the Kennedy Center Fellowship and Kresge Arts Fellowship. Debra established the DWDA mentoring program which has trained 300+ student dancers in classroom assistance and business assistance. From this program there have been 10+ young women who have opened successful dance studios throughout the greater Detroit community and country, and several students have realized their love for teaching through being a student assistant and are now teaching locally and throughout the country and world.
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Sarah E. Ray was an African American civil rights activist who in 1945 was denied entry on a ferry operated by the Bob-Lo Excursion Company. She initiated a legal battle against the company via the NAACP which eventually ended up being processed by the United States Supreme Court. The court ruled in Ray’s favor, setting her case as a precursor to Brown v. Board of Education. After the Bob-Lo Co. vs. Michigan court case, she went on to create the Action House in Detroit which helped to empower Black youth in the city and offered spaces for recreational activities.
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Judge Lila Neuenfelt (1902-1981) was the first woman circuit court judge in Michigan and at the time of her swearing in, was the youngest woman in the U.S. to become an attorney. She is known for fighting for married women’s rights to use their birthname in professional capacities and for mentoring other women lawyers and judges as they rose in their careers, including Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee, Judge Cornelia Kennedy.
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Fannie B. Peck was the first president of the National Housewives League and founder of the Detroit Housewives League, where she led a team of women determined to create better conditions for their communities and the next generation of women. She created the Fannie B. Peck Credit Union which gave African Americans in Detroit the chance to create financial legacy, start their own businesses, buy a home, and send their children to college. She also created the first cemetery for African Americans in Detroit and picketed the Midwest meatpacking industry to allow average citizens to be able to afford meat for their families.
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Join us to honor these remarkable women at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Please join us on October 26 for a virtual awards ceremony, where you will hear more about each woman’s incredible story. Sponsorships & ads are available now. Click here to download the sponsorship packet!
During the weeks following the event, we will host two in-person meet and greet events with Diana Sieger and Debra White Hunt.
- DETROIT: October 28 from 5:30-7:30 pm, in person event
- GRAND RAPIDS: November 9 from 5:30-7:30 pm, in person event
We also plan to host one virtual meet-and-greet event with Roz Brewer, date is TBD so stay tuned! |
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| There will be a limited number of tickets available for all meet-and-greets and tickets will be first come first serve. By adding your name to the interest list, you will be the first to hear when we open ticket sales. |
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| To view a full list of the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame Honorees through the years, visit our website. Thank you for your interest and investment in preserving women’s history and celebrating the iconic Michigan women still blazing trails! |
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About Michigan Women Forward
MWF was founded in 1986 by 20 extraordinary visionaries who conceived of an organization that would encourage women to play an active role in philanthropy and governance. MWF is a community development organization whose mission is to expand economic opportunity, empower the next generation, and celebrate and honor the accomplishments of Michigan women. For more information, visit www.miwf.org.
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