YWCA Evanston/North Shore has announced the recipients of its 2018 YWomen Leadership Awards. The awards, which will be presented at the YWomen benefit at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in Chicago on Oct. 13, recognize women who have made an impact in women’s empowerment, racial justice and social change.
The 2018 YWomen honorees are Victoria Dinges, senior vice president of corporate relations for Northbrook-based Allstate Insurance, is an inspirational example of how a woman in corporate America can make a difference by bringing her passion to a cause. Her cause is domestic violence, and with her personal and professional commitment to this health and safety issue, she has helped advance the movement to end domestic violence. She also has been involved in the National Network to End Domestic Violence and the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. And, since 2007, she has been deeply involved in the work of YWCA Evanston/North Shore.
Ms. Bond-Clunie, award-winning playwright, director, and educator, is committed to giving voice to the African-American experience through the topics she tackles and the characters she creates in her plays.
A former drama teacher at Chute Middle School, Ms. Bond-Clunie is a founding member of the Playwrights Ensemble at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater, where her plays “North Star,” “Living Green,” and “Shoes” premiered.
She also is the founding artistic director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, where she directed scores of productions including “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “Ceremonies in Dark Old Men,” “Home,” and “Raisin.” Her plays been produced across the country, amplifying her unique perspective to a wide range of audiences.
Ms. Cambry, entrepreneur and co-creator of an elementary STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum. She is committed to giving girls and youth of color the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in today’s most in-demand fields.
Together with her mother, she founded Evanston-based Paige & Paxton Elementary STEM Curriculum to make STEM education universally accessible. She was instrumental in leading nationally recognized STEM pipeline programs for girls and youth of color as one of the founders of the New York Chapter of Black Girls Code. She also was a lead member of the planning team for #YesWeCode youth hackathons, which were designed to expose middle and high school students to opportunities in computer science.