Williams, Shock honor women of inspiration
BY Staff Reports
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
6/20/12 at 3:01 PM
For the third straight year, Williams Cos. and the Tulsa Shock will honor five Tulsa-area women in presenting the Williams Women of Inspiration award.
Chosen from a larger pool of about 50 nominees, the women will be introduced during halftime of Saturday’s WNBA game between the Shock and Indiana Fever at the BOK Center.
Sherri Coale, University of Oklahoma women’s basketball coach, will speak at a pre-game reception.
According to a Shock news release, the award honors "five inspirational women who serve Tulsa and the surrounding area with relentless dedication and passion while impacting the lives of area youth and the entire community."
All five will receive an engraved award from Williams and the Tulsa Shock, as well as other considerations. One overall winner will be awarded a trip to the 2013 National Women of Inspiration Luncheon celebration, courtesy of World Travel.
Saturday is the 40th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark legislation that greatly expanded athletic opportunities for women.
The 2012 Williams Women of Inspiration:
Felicia Collins Correia: Currently executive director of the Tulsa YWCA and has been executive director of Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) in Tulsa. Collins Correia has received numerous awards for her work to end domestic violence and her non-profit leadership, including the Tulsa Chapter Women in Communications Newsmaker Award. Collins Correia was selected as one of the eight Outstanding Women of the Year for 1998 by Tulsa Woman News and the prestigious Pinnacle Award for Public Advocacy from the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women and the Tulsa Women’s Foundation. Collins Correia is an advocate in the fight against racial injustice in Tulsa.
Risha Grant: Grant has worked as an entrepreneur in the field of public relations and marketing in Tulsa for over 12 years and began Oklahoma’s first diversity communications firm Xposure Inc. Grant is a volunteer with Meals on Wheels and frequently speaks to and mentors youth interested in journalism and communications. Grant serves on the executive committee and board of directors for the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice, the advisory board for the Tulsa Sports Commission and the board of directors for the Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League. She also serves on the Board of Regents for Langston University.
Alicia Latimer: Latimer has been the Coordinator of the African-American Resources Center for the Tulsa City-County library system for the past six years. Latimer provides a wide range of programs at the libraries across the city and county while designing programs to celebrate African-American contributions to US and Oklahoma history and culture. Latimer’s work in the community includes numerous activities with programs like the “Woman Up” program and Sisters Sippin Team Literary Group. She is also a founding member of the Grapevine Literary Society. Latimer sits on the boards at the Tulsa YWCA and John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation.
Suzann Stewart: Stewart came out of retirement last year to become the director of the Ann Dooley Family Safety Center. Previously, she served as the first woman chair for the YMCA and was also the chair for the National Association of Sports Commissions. Stewart has been recognized by the National Organization of the American Red Cross as “National Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year”. Stewart has chaired the National Sports Commission, American Red Cross Tulsa Chapter and YMCA along with representing many boards including: Tulsa Symphony, TU Alumni Association, OCCJ and Hospice of Green Country.
Kathy Taylor: Former Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor rejuvenated the city’s downtown by overseeing the completion of Tulsa’s “Vision 2025” projects including the construction of the BOK Center and Oneok Field. Taylor is one of the leading philanthropists in Tulsa. She the Mayor’s Mentoring to the Max program which connected mentors with more than 700 students at 18 area community schools. Taylor has been involved with many non-profits such as Tulsa Achieves, Tulsa Million Miles and Tulsa Regreen to name a few. Taylor is on the board of directors of Sonic Corp., the Oklahoma Heritage Association, the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Taylor was a guest lecturer at Harvard University this past semester and is currently with the law Firm McAfee & Taft.
