• Coleen Rowley's Speech
• Ellen Anderson's Speech
• Seven full pages of pictures from the event here!

NEW WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP AWARDS CEREMONY FEATURES JANE FONDA AS GUEST SPEAKER 

            A new women’s Leadership Awards Program created and designed to recognize women as civic leaders, is a combined effort of the Democratic Women Leadership Coalition and the DFL Feminist Caucus. Academy Award winning actor, writer, and political activist Jane Fonda was the special guest and featured speaker who helped launch this Annual Leadership Awards ceremony and reception.

Koryne Horbal and Jackie Stevenson look on as Jane Fonda speaks

Jane Fonda and DFLFC Youth Coordinator Raven 'CoCo' Kinnell

Koryne Horbal being honored during the awards presentation

The four 2007 Leadership awards were presented to the following recipients:

The Koryne Horbal Fearless Award — Coleen Rowley, Apple Valley

A woman who does what needs doing, and whose actions exemplify answering the questions, “If not me, who? If not now, when?”  Speaks truth to power, to allies, to friends and to self.  Her work is continuous and personifies qualities enumerated in the other award categories.  Recipient: Coleen Rowley, Apple Valley.  Former FBI agent and whistleblower, Time magazine “Person of the Year” award in 2002, and opinion writer for The Huffington Post. Her speech is here.

Vision Award — State Senator Ellen Anderson, District 66, St. Paul

A woman who uses a comprehensive view of her sphere of influence to build sustainability, and the results of her work extend into the future. Recipient: State Senator Ellen Anderson, District 66, St. Paul.  Committees: Finance – Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division, Chair; Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communications; Environment and Natural Resources; Finance; and Finance – E-12 Education Budget Division. Her speech is here.

Inspiration Award — Deborah Watts, Plymouth

A woman who demonstrates integrity, and breadth of knowledge, mentors others, and has the ability to motivate others to action. Recipient: Deborah Watts, Plymouth.  Entrepreneur, author, motivational speaker and Founder of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation, and an annual civic engagement/public achievement and voter registration youth rally, Hear My Voice! Are You Listening? — In addition to a women's empowerment symposium, Loving From The Inside out. 

Women Rising Award — Recipient:  State Representative Kate Knuth, District 52B, New Brighton

A woman who is known to have promising qualities of civic leadership, vision, inspiration and/or her fearlessness as characterized in the other three awards. Recipient:  State Representative Kate Knuth, District 52B, New Brighton.  Committees:  Game, Fish and Forestry Division, Vice Chair; Commerce and Labor; Energy Finance and Policy Division; and Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division.

MORE!

Coleen Rowley's Speech

Ellen Anderson's Speech

Pictures from the event here!