March 22–28, 2019 Brooklyn Paper • www.BrooklynPaper.com • (718) 260-2500 AWP 5
The leading ladies!
Boro’s formidable females fêted at Power Women Gala
Photo by Corazon Aguirre
Colon Cancer:
Detect + Prevent
Colon cancer is the #2 cancer killer in NYC.
But getting screened can prevent it. If you’re 50 or older, don’t delay.
For more information, call 311 or visit
nyc.gov/health and search “colon cancer”.
Bill de Blasio
Mayor
Oxiris Barbot, MD
Health Commissioner
By Maya Harrison and
Natallie Rocha
for Brooklyn Paper
These ladies are nothing
short of extraordinary.
Schneps Media praised
the borough’s most influential
women entrepreneurs,
business owners, and community
leaders at its annual
Power Women Awards and
Networking Event at Grand
Prospect Hall on March 14.
Each female honored showcased
a passionate, uplifting
commitment to what they
do, according to the event’s
host.
“These are glamorous
women who each have a story
to tell that has helped Brooklyn
for the better,” said Schneps
Media President and Publisher
Victoria Schneps-Yunis. “They
deserve to take their time walking
down this red carpet — it’s
their moment.”
The event’s newest honor,
the Global Leadership Award,
went to Elizabeth Melendez
Fisher, the chief executive officer
and co-founder of Selah
Freedom, an organization that
concentrates on ending sex
trafficking and exploitation
worldwide.
Proceeds from the evening’s
raffle went to the Selah
Way Foundation, which
aids in the fight against sex
trafficking.
“I am honored to win this
award among these influential
women,” said Fisher. “This
event is so important to honor
and uplift the women changing
lives in this community.”
This year’s Lifetime
Achievement Award went
to 96-year-old Sylvia Mariamoff.
Better known as “the
attitude lady,” Mariamoff is
still giving back to her community
by teaching Yiddish
and hosting trivia classes two
days a week at her local senior
center. The honoree had
some simple advice for aspiring
power women.
“You can’t just stay in the
house,” said the trailblazer from
Sheepshead Bay. “It’s important
to keep busy.”
Another honorable Brooklyn
lady boss, Cloé Luv, is the
The 2019 Power Women
honorees posed with
Schneps Media President
and Publisher Victoria
Schneps-Yunis at
Grand Prospect Hall.
(Left) From left, gala
emcee Lisa Evers, from
Fox 5 News, presented
honoree Michelle Neary
her award with Schneps-
Yunis.
chief executive officer of a nonprofit,
Brook Brovaz Development,
an entrepreneur coach,
and a music consultant. She
also founded Women With
Voices, a program that amplifies
female stories and provides
services to aid women.
“I’m a Brooklynite to the
fullest,” said the East Flatbush
native. “I could never
live anywhere else — I’ve gone
to many places, but Brooklyn
culture is my soul.”
The awards shined as bright
as the women receiving them
— who will continue to inspire
the community until next
year’s festivities.
The organizers also recognized
the sponsors (see opposite
page) who made the gala
possible: Dime Community
Bank, MetroPlus Health Plan,
SUNY Downstate, The Avondale
Care Group, the firm of
Schpoont and Cavallo, JP
Morgan Chase, Broadway
Stages, DMV Service Centers
/ JSA Tags Inc., Flushing
Bank, Northwell Health, and
Inwood Country Club.
Photo by Corazon Aguirre
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