BOSTON–()–On January 12, 2012 local grassroots non-profit, Boston GLOW (Girls’
Leadership, Organized Women) hosted its second annual fundraiser “IGNITE
the NITE” to raise scholarship funds for young girls in Boston’s most
underfunded schools. And the city took notice. The evening affair
featured special guests and supporters, Ayanna Pressley, Boston City
Councillor, and Karen Kaplan, President of advertising agency Hill
Holliday. With over 100 additional sponsors, including restaurants,
hotels, sports teams, spas, boutiques, wineries, breweries, and more,
the entirely volunteer-staffed GLOW hosted an evening of food, drink,
dance, live music, and silent auction that drew over 250 attendees and
most importantly, raised over $25,000 in funds for Boston area female
high-school-aged students who aspire toward higher education but lack
the resources to achieve their academic dreams.
“We were thrilled and overwhelmed by the exponential growth we saw in
our first year. We now need to continue our rapid growth and capitalize
on the visibility and support we’ve gained in such a short time”
Held at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter in Fort Point, Boston, IGNITE
the NITE whisked guests into an evening of giving, with all proceeds
from ticket and beverage sales to silent auction bids going directly
towards scholarship funds, laptops, and other educational support for
the finalists of the 2011 IGNITE Change Essay Contest, to be named in
April. Emceed by local spokesperson T. Whitlow, decorated gratis by
local design firm Exquisite Design Concepts, furnished by Party by
Design and New England Country Rentals, and with entertainment provided
by local pop-rock band City of Squares, the event was a pure
demonstration of what can be achieved when a handful of driven young
women come together for a cause with drive, belief, and passion.
Entirely comprised of young working professionals, the Boston GLOW board
and team hit the ground running in the fall of 2011 to ensure the second
IGNITE the NITE would exceed expectations. “Our inaugural IGNITE the
NITE event generated more than $10,000 in 2011,” said Boston GLOW board
member and Fundraising Director, Emily Copeman. “The fact that we have
already raised $25,000 in our second year, is not only humbling but also
electrifying in the sense that we as a group of determined young women
are truly igniting change.”
And speaking of change, the central question to the 2nd
annual IGNITE Change Essay Contest, posed to high school girls from less
privileged local communities is, “What would you change about the role
of women in your community, city, or school?” Ten finalists, chosen by
published female authors in the Boston area, will be awarded educational
scholarships, a byproduct of the IGNITE the NITE fundraising effort.
Based on the essays received thus far, there is no doubt that these
young girls have the talent, creativity, and heart to succeed as
tomorrow’s professional and political women. They need only the
opportunity to do so. This year’s submissions cover a wide range of
topics – some excerpts from these furtive minds:
“When women and girls work together to complete a task, I believe it
can be accomplished. We have incredible power.”
“I was one of those teenage girls in Dorchester that didn’t
understand my value or what I deserved…I want to help young women
realized their worth and build their self esteem.”
“I want to let teenage girls know that there is no such thing as love
behind violence.”
“If we can join together in the things we enjoy, we can definitely
unite to make a difference–we just need to treat people in our
community like family.”
“We were thrilled and overwhelmed by the exponential growth we saw in
our first year. We now need to continue our rapid growth and capitalize
on the visibility and support we’ve gained in such a short time,”
explains Boston GLOW founder, Leah Moschella. “We are determined never
to lose momentum or lose sight of our mission – we are a small but
mighty team and the more we can achieve as a grassroots organization,
the more we can demonstrate to the young women we work with that
anything is possible.”
To view photos of IGNITE the NITE, please visit http://www.bostonglow.org/ignite_2012_gallery.
About Boston GLOW
Boston GLOW is a local nonprofit that strives to empower women. Founded
in 2010 by East Boston resident Leah Moschella, Boston GLOW fosters
opportunities for women of all ages to become empowered community
leaders and active world citizens. Through two specific program
areas–Girls’ Leadership (GL) and Organized Women (OW)–GLOW strives to
provide pragmatic programming, leadership training, and service-learning
opportunities.
About Karen Kaplan, President, Hill Holliday
Karen Kaplan is President of Hill Holliday, the 17th largest
advertising agency in the US. Ms. Kaplan joined the firm in 1982 as
receptionist. Today, she is a driving force behind Hill Holliday’s
growth to more than $1 billion in annual billings. Her firm’s impressive
list of premier clients includes Bank of America, Chili’s, Dunkin’
Donuts, John Hancock, Liberty Mutual, Major League Baseball, Merrill
Lynch, Novartis, TJX and Verizon Wireless.
In recognition of her career achievements, Ms. Kaplan was selected by Advertising
Age for its highly coveted “Women to Watch” special report honoring
the nation’s top women in advertising, marketing and media. She was
named by Boston Magazine and the Boston Business Journal as
one of the 50 most powerful people in Boston, and has been honored with
the prestigious Pinnacle Award from the Greater Boston Chamber of
Commerce, and inducted into the YWCA Boston’s Academy of Women Achievers.
Ms. Kaplan was elected President of the Massachusetts Women’s Forum and
as a Director of the Executive Committee of the Greater Boston Chamber
of Commerce. She serves on the Board of Governors of the Chief
Executives’ Club of Boston and the Board of the Massachusetts Conference
for Women and is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, an
action-oriented community of the most effective CEOs, heads of state,
Nobel Prize winners, and non-governmental leaders in the world.
Ms. Kaplan is a Trustee of Fidelity Investments and a Director of DSM
(dba Delta Dental, Doral and DentaQuest). Ms. Kaplan previously served
as a Director of ADVO from 2003 to 2007 and as a Director of Tweeter
Home Entertainment Group from 2006 to 2007, until the companies were
acquired.
About Ayanna Pressley
Ayanna Pressley was elected to the Boston City Council on November 3,
2009. Pressley, the only woman in a field of 15 candidates, earned one
of four At-Large spots on the city’s 13-member council with nearly
42,000 votes. After being sworn in on January 4, 2010 she became the
first woman of color to serve in the 100-year history of the Boston City
Council.
In keeping with the historic nature of her win, Councilor Pressley
formed and is chairing a new standing committee, the Committee on Women
Healthy Communities. The committee is devoted to the causes that she
has always been most devoted to: stabilizing families and communities,
reducing and preventing violence and trauma, and combating poverty. The
committee is primarily concerned with adequate delivery of city services
and programming for youth, families, seniors and new Bostonians, with
particular focus on girls and women. Some of the issues the committee
plans to address over the next two years include domestic and sexual
violence, child abuse and neglect, bullying, substance abuse, mentoring,
hunger and homelessness.
Councilor Pressley also serves as the Chair of the Arts, Film,
Humanities Tourism Committee as well as the Vice Chair of the Public
Safety Committee. She also sits on the following committees: City,
Neighborhood Services Veterans Affairs; Economic Development
Planning; Education; Government Operations; Ways and Means, and; the
Special Committee on Census Redistricting.
Although newly elected, Councilor Pressley is no stranger to public
service. Her political career spans more than 16 years, in various
behind-the-scene capacities at the federal level of government.
Councilor Pressley previously worked as a Senior Aide for Congressman
Joseph P. Kennedy II and United States Senator John Kerry. Immediately
prior to her run for office, Pressley was serving as Senator Kerry’s
Political Director, responsible for managing his relationships with
elected officials at the city, state and federal level and various
community leaders.
In addition to her work in government, Councilor Pressley has also been
an active leader in the non-profit community on issues related to women
and girls, civic engagement and diversifying the political pipeline. She
has served in leadership positions with groups such as the Massachusetts
Women’s Political Caucus, the Young Professionals Preventing Child Abuse
of the Children’s Trust Fund. She also serves on the Boards of several
Boston and statewide organizations, including the UMass Boston Center
for Women in Politics and Public Policy, Emerge Massachusetts, Action
for Boston Community Development, Inc., and the Young Black Women’s
Society. In addition, she is an active “Big Sister” with the Big Sister
Association of Greater Boston. Her work with young people on violence
prevention has earned her national acclaim and she has been recognized
by Ebony Magazine, The Root, the Boston Globe, NARAL Pro-Choice
Massachusetts, Big Sisters of Greater Boston and others as an emerging
leader with vision and values.
Councilor Pressley is passionate about youth mentorship and civic
engagement and has launched ABC- Ayanna’s BIG Challenge- a yearlong
initiative to recruit mentors for children living in the Boston
neighborhoods with the longest waiting lists for adult mentors. She is a
resident and homeowner in the Ashmont-Adams area of Dorchester, Boston’s
largest neighborhood.