January 7, 2022
YW Boston receives Sylvia Simmons Best Practice Award in recognition of creating more inclusive environments
BOSTON, MA – The Anna B. Stearns Charitable Foundation awarded YWCA Boston with their prestigious Sylvia Simmons Best Practice Award for helping individuals and organizations change policies, practices, attitudes, and behaviors with the goal of creating more inclusive environments where women, people of color, and especially women of color can succeed. YWCA Boston is unique in the Greater Boston nonprofit landscape and is a driving force behind institutional-level change. The annual award, created in honor of former board president, Dr. Sylvia Q. Simmons, is given by the foundation trustees to one nonprofit organization annually that exhibits innovation and excellence in serving the needs of women and girls in the Greater Boston Area.
Sylvia Simmons Retirement
Sylvia Simmons retired from her position as board member of the Anna B. Stearns Foundation effective October 2021.
“For years, Sylvia has been a guiding light for our board members, always asking insightful, salient questions that focused our decision-making on community impact, equity, and justice. Looking to the future, her charge to us is to ‘be bold.’ We are grateful for her service and will carry her vision forward,” says Katie Wheeler, Anna B Stearns co-president.
Dr. Sylvia Q. Simmons joined the board in 1996 and became president of the board of the Anna B. Stearns Charitable Foundation in 2000. She held this position until 2008. During her tenure, the foundation refined its funding interests to focus on gender-specific and gender-sensitive programs that promote education, independence, and self-sufficiency of girls, women, and their families. She is also a long-time educator, volunteer, and non-profit consultant.
———————–
About YW Boston
As the first YWCA in the nation, YW Boston has been at the forefront of advancing equity for over 150 years. Through our DE&I services—InclusionBoston and LeadBoston—as well as our advocacy work and F.Y.R.E. Initiative, we help individuals and organizations change policies, practices, attitudes, and behaviors with a goal of creating more inclusive environments where women, people of color, and especially women of color can succeed.
