The third-annual Most Influential Women Award celebration will be held March 2 at the Fredericksburg Convention Center. The event, founded by G3 Community Services and #Enough!, coincides with the start of Women’s History Month and is an appreciation of exceptional women who have made a lasting impact on their communities.
“I’m honored to be a part of this platform that spotlights the extraordinary women in our community,” said Vernon Green Jr., founder and CEO of G3 Community Services. “This event is not just a celebration; it’s a testament to the transformative impact women have on shaping our shared future.
“By honoring and uplifting these remarkable individuals, we not only recognize their achievements but sow seeds of inspiration for the entire community.”
The 33 nominees come from as far north as Prince William County and as far south as the greater Richmond area and include pastors, authors, educators, volunteers, military members and community leaders. Emmy-award-winning news manager Terri Tolliver will emcee the banquet with Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger serving as the keynote speaker.
The Free Press asked a few of the nominees for their thoughts on what it means to be nominated as an influential woman.
“When I first received the nomination, I kept thinking, there must be another Shashuna J. Gray,” said Gray, vice president of academic affairs and workforce development at Germanna Community College. “I am humbled by the nomination and thrilled to be acknowledged. I have a passion for people to discover their ‘best selves’ and if by chance I can make an impact on their forward trajectory in life, I am happy.”
“Humble” was the term Claudia Barnes used as well. Barnes owns Better 4 You Juices, a cold-pressed juice business she began to help her husband heal after cancer. “I think it’s very humbling (to be nominated). We are not natives but are here by way of the military. This was my husband’s last assignment and so we retired here.”
“Being influential, to me, is the ability to learn, develop, and use your talents to encourage those around you to be impactful and active in change,” wrote Tameeka Heyward-Jackson, founder of the nonprofit group IMPACT King George. “I have always believed that community is global and if we are not invested in our global community, we will find ourselves leaving behind a generation of people who are without a path to walk, run, or sprint on.
All three said that the women in their families are the most influential in their lives.
“In my personal life, the most influential women are the late Joan Simpson (mother) and the late Georgieanna Mitchell (grandmother),” writes Gray. “My mom was one of 14, so of course, there are seven other aunts that helped to mold me into the woman I am today. They let me know from an early age that I had the ability to achieve anything and that I had the intelligence to accompany my drive.”
Barnes adds her three daughters to the list of influential women. “They are really standing on their own legs and blazing their own trails. They inspire me… they are young women who are passionate and confident about the thing that they do in life and that is very inspiring for me to watch.”
The event begins at 6 p.m., and tickets are $100.
