Rae-Shan Nate’ Barclift, CBS Fellowship Program Participant

Receiving an email from AWM with the subject line ‘Congratulations…’ was unbelievable, and I predict it will be Life Changing! The criteria for the CBS/AWM Fellowship called for female, college students in media. I am proudly female, but well beyond my college years. I wrote in anyway! I never thought I would be chosen. I’m in my Forties, Fabulous and I have pursued Media my entire adult life. Yet, I dared to step outside the criteria guidelines and ask if anyone would take note of my accomplishments and see me. On a whim, I went for it and reminded myself… You are what they’re looking for!

Attending the Gracies Leadership Awards felt like it was day one of my new journey. Seeing so many successful women was Women’s Empowerment at its BEST! I felt like I CAN because they HAVE! Every woman in that room earned the right to be there and I was there with them. So grateful! I wanted to have a conversation with each of them to find out their story because I’m a firm believer that every Woman has a story and Women Empower Women when we share our stories. We were the Best of the Best that day. And seeing Jeff Zucker, President of CNN Worldwide, was an added treat. It’s been many years, but I got my start interning in his office on a show called ‘NOW,’ with Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric. Full Circle moment for me!

When others said ‘No,’ I had to be my own ‘Yes.’ I created and hosted my own Talk Show, ‘I AIN’T That CHICK,’ about Self-Empowerment, Self-Awareness, and Self-Respect for women and girls of all ages and ethnicities and later created two more Talk Shows, ‘Chick Chat’ and ‘DISCUSSIONS.’ www.iaintthatchick.com I currently Co-Host a Faith Based, Internet Radio Talk Show called, ‘Be Yourself’. I’m passionate about my purpose and love for Media.

I am humbled, I am honored and I am beyond grateful that AWM and CBS saw me! Some blessings are delayed, but definitely not denied.

Emily Sauchelli, 2018 Loreen Arbus Scholarship Recipient

At the Gracie Awards Luncheon, on June 27th 2018, I was living a dream. I never thought in a million years I would be receiving an award of this type of grandeur and prestige. I never fully had confidence in my capabilities until that day. That moment opened my eyes and made me realize anything is possible if I just believe in myself.

At the Gracie Awards Luncheon, I was inspired by so many women. I was particularly inspired by PBS News Hour Editor in Chief, Judy Woodruff. Anyone can be a journalist, but it takes someone special to be a storyteller. Judy Woodruff is a master at her craft. From watching her on TV, to seeing how she carries herself, Woodruff cares about the message she is sending out to society and does not care about putting on a persona for viewers. The best moment was when I got the opportunity to talk with Woodruff at the luncheon. It was a moment that I will never forget.

After I introduced myself, she was so gracious and asked, “What was your story?”. She told me she was going to look through the stories of all the winners on the plane back to Washington DC. From that moment, I knew the kind of person she was – kind, caring and inspirational. One of my favorite quotes from Judy’s speech was, “We have come a long way, but we still have work to do. We need more women in decision-making jobs, more women doing the hiring, more women deciding which stories get covered and more women reaching out to bring along younger women like the remarkable women we are seeing here today.” I agree with Woodruff that, as women in the media, we need to start uplifting each other and praising each other for our achievements in the industry.

Besides being a great storyteller, Woodruff cares about those with disabilities, as her son has spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Due to her son’s conditions, she is able to relate to others who are going through similar circumstances. That is another reason why she is great at her job. Audiences don’t just see a woman doing her job as a journalist, they see a woman who has opened part of her private life up to the world, in hopes that others can understand and know more about those with disabilities. Every single one of us is different on this Earth, and it’s time that everyone respects one another and our differences, no matter the severity.

What I took away from this experience – becoming a Gracie award winner and being in a room full of talented journalists and storytellers – is that everyone has his or her own story. The road to success is different for each person. I learned that no matter the struggles people have in their lives, it matters how they persevere and continue to achieve their goals. To me, that’s true inspiration.

Nazanin Bani Amerian, 2018 Ford “Emerging Voices” Scholarship Recipient

I am standing in the middle of a fancy ballroom in NYC and recording the scene to preserve the moment in my mind forever. There are well-dressed people, purple lights, chandeliers, glasses of champagne and beautiful women taking pictures with their awards. My mom, brother and friends are waiting for this, so I post it on Instagram immediately with the caption, “This is the first time I feel important in my life”. I am 32, and that is not a lie. I feel important as me, Nazanin, for the first time in 32 years. I am here to accept my scholarship for a story of my life that I sent to the Alliance for Woman in Media. We are sitting at table 1 with all these important people working for different networks like CNN, journals and other places that I have always dreamt of working with one day. The beautiful girl from Ford is reading my article, which is a story about an ordinary Middle Eastern girl. People are clapping, tears are coming and I am overcome by this feeling in my heart that they have heard what I have told them. They are looking at me with no anger, judgment or pity. I am “me” here.

All my life, as a woman, I have not been allowed to talk about what I believe in, what I want or do not want to be, what I’ve gone through and what I feel about life in my country. There are some places in this world where you can tell your story and nobody is going to punish you for telling the truth. Alliance for Women in Media has given me the courage, confidence, and motivation to speak my truth. Standing in front of people I have admired all my life, talking to them and being heard by them has given me the encouragement to not be silent anymore. I know this experience is not just for me. This is for every other woman. Today, we need to cheer each other on, shake each other’s hands and help each other. The Alliance for Women in Media is a place where we can find that.

Natalie Edelstein, 2018 “Emerging Voices” Scholarship Recipient

My entire life, I have been supported by strong women who have believed in me and my ability to achieve my goals. Beginning in high school with my Mock Trial coaches, Judith Daar and Debby Stegura, I learned that there was a vast network of women looking to nurture and help young women find their voice and stand up for what they believed. In college, I had the opportunity to work for C-Strategies President and CEO, Becky Carroll, who believed in me enough to allow me to take on a full-time role within her office and instilled confidence in me to stand behind the work I’d done. Those women, along with many others, fundamentally changed my life. They taught me to seize opportunities, make my voice heard and never turn down a challenge. I have come to realize how lucky I am for this vast support network, and I can see how much I’ve achieved because of it.

I was drawn to the Alliance for Women in Media for this very reason. The organization, which was created by women and for women, is a constant reminder that women can achieve incredible goals, status and progress when they support one another. I’m inspired by the Alliance’s commitment to educate, connect and inspire others in media and related fields. Because of AWM’s work, women who might otherwise be passed over for positions or opportunities find themselves elevated to a position where they can receive the recognition they deserve. Now more than ever, women need a seat at the table. Especially when it comes to media coverage and decision making, having women in positions of power is integral for balanced and thoughtful coverage.

Organizations like the Alliance for Women in Media are vitally important. By providing scholarships to students pursuing careers in media and allied fields — as well as supporting educational programs, charitable activities and public service campaigns — the organization continues to demonstrate the power of female leadership.

As one of this year’s Emerging Voices Scholarship winners, I am hyper-cognizant of how lucky I am to have the AWM’s support. The quote “Behind every great woman is a tribe of other successful women” couldn’t be more true. The Alliance for Women in Media is living proof.

Alliance for Women in Media Honors Seven Female Leaders at Inaugural Gracies Leadership Awards

The Alliance for Women in Media (AWM) hosted its inaugural Gracies Leadership Awards luncheon, formerly called Women Who Lead, Tuesday, November 13 to a capacity crowd at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Keynote speaker Pam Oliver connected with the audience as she recounted her struggles and triumphs as a woman in the media industry. She spoke of winning a Gracie Award earlier this year and shared, “So many people asked me what it meant to me to receive a Gracie Award, and I always say it was really a career moment. I have received numerous awards that I am very proud of and grateful for, but the Gracie sits on my desk. It just gives me inspiration, and it says something about what women are able to accomplish.”

Seven female leaders in media were honored at the event. Highlights from their speeches include:
• The first honoree, Dara Altman, EVP and chief administrative officer, Sirius XM, said, “Women, Jews and all minorities of every kind do not have the same opportunities. Every day I try to ensure, however I can, that those unheard and under-observed people and voices are heard and that no one is told, like they told my mother, that she has no place at the table. I want to thank the Alliance for Women in Media for everything you do to make this a more inclusive industry and to shine a light on deserving women.”
• Lynn Beall, EVP and COO of media operations, TEGNA recognized the incredible work her team has done in today’s media climate. She said, “We’ve really tried, with the way the world is going today, to reinvent journalism. It has been the most challenging and messy time of my career because it’s hard. We’ve actually turned over our company to the best and brightest through innovation summits and pilots, and they have come up with content we could not have even imagined a couple of years ago.”
• Despite a big day in the news for CNN, honoree Allison Gollust, EVP and chief marketing officer, CNN, and Jeff Zucker, president, CNN were in attendance. During her acceptance, Gollust said, “There has never been a more important time in the news business to do what we do.”
• After thanking her “girl tribe” and husband, Jeanine Liburd, chief marketing & communications officer, BET Networks went on to say, “We can say everything that we want to say, but if we’re not doing the actions to make it happen then what’s the point? If you walk into a board room and everyone looks like you, you’re not being diverse and you’re not being inclusive. You’re not walking the walk.”
• In accepting the honor, Beth Neuhoff, president and CEO, Neuhoff Communications said, “We need to go out of this room and not just tell each other what we know, which is that having women in management, in the c-suite and on boards is good for cultural diversity, but you know what, it’s also great for investor returns. We need to show that and prove that, which we can…”
• Carole Robinson, chief communications officer, BuzzFeed addressed the importance of including men in the conversation about equality in the workplace. She said, “If we want to impact change we need to clarify what strong and equal representation is and how valuable it is to have everyone at the table. None of the rules have changed. The rules are the same ones we learned in fifth grade; we keep our hands to ourselves and treat others with respect.”
• Jo Ann Ross, president and chief advertising revenue officer, CBS said, “Founders of AWM were way ahead of their time understanding women have a lot to contribute and a lot to say. Many of us here have power and privilege, and what I believe is our responsibility, to help other women excel in this business.”

“Now more than ever before, we have a responsibility to create conversation and shine the spotlight on the success and progress of women in media,” said Heather Cohen, AWMF board member and EVP, The Weiss Agency. ”We not only want to honor those deserving recognition but show the next generation what is possible. Our purpose at AWM is to bring intelligent, accomplished, dedicated women (and men) together to share ideas, experiences and some ‘you go, girls!’”

Photos from the event can be found at graciesawards.photos.

Sponsors of the event were Ford Motor Company, BET Networks, BuzzFeed, CBS Corporation, CNN, Cox Media Group, FOX Sports, Katz Media Group, NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, Neuhoff Communications, SiriusXM, TEGNA, vCreative and WideOrbit.