The YWCA of the Niagara Frontier’s annual Niagara Awards: A Tribute to Women has a new time, format and venue in 2024, along with a keynote speaker who the YWCA describes as personifying its mission and standing as a beacon of inspiration and mentorship: Air Force 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh, the first active-duty Miss America.
The Niagara Awards ceremony takes place during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
This year’s ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Oct. 22 at Wurlitzer Events, 908 Niagara Falls Boulevard, North Tonawanda.
Niagara Awards recognize women who have made significant contributions to Niagara and Erie counties specific to the YWCA’s mission of empowering women, eliminating racism, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
Marsh, who was crowned Miss America in January, is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, where she earned a degree in physics. Now a second lieutenant in the Air Force, she deferred pilot training to pursue a master’s degree in public policy, with a focus on cancer detection, and is serving in an Air Force public affairs/recruiting post for the year.
“We can’t think of a more appropriate way to honor outstanding women in our community than to be joined by Lt. Marsh,” YWCA CEO Kelly DeMatteo said. “Her incredible accomplishments in community service and leadership are an inspiration to all of us.”
“I hope young girls can see that you can lead in the military, or you can lead in a board room, in the courthouse, in medical boardrooms — whatever it might be — and you can be taken seriously,” Marsh said. “Whether I’m in a crown and sash or whether I’m in my uniform, I serve as 2nd Lt. Marsh and I serve as Miss America simultaneously, and they do not take away from one another.”
The YWCA has opened the nominating process for the Niagara Awards honoring women who have consistently demonstrated through their employment, self-employment, volunteer service, or lifestyle, an outstanding commitment to the mission of the YWCA in one of the following categories: Arts, Education, Entrepreneur, Behind the Scenes, Health and Human Services, Management, Military/First Responders, Inspiration and Community Partner.
To submit a nomination, or learn more about the 2024 Niagara Awards, go to https://ywcaniagarafrontier.org.