The Source Weekly has had a Women’s Issue for as long as we can remember. It’s our place to highlight some of the many stories of Central Oregon women doing important work—but this year, a new partnership sought to amplify women’s voices even further.
The Source partnered with the Bend Chamber—which has had its own Women of the Year awards for the past six years—for one awesome collaboration. Through this partnership, the Chamber saw a record number of nominations, including many people from diverse backgrounds—evidence of the power of a nomination process open to all community members, and the power of getting the word out far and wide. From there, the judging process included written nominations and acceptance forms, a rating system, and a personal interview with each nominee. (see Editor Nicole Vulcan's Editor's Note this week for a shout-out to the judges and those involved in the Women of the Year!)
While every nominee was deserving of their respective awards (see their names, published here!), the winners blew our hair back. Take a moment to learn more about the winners of the Bend Chamber/Source Weekly’s Women of the Year awards. Couldn’t we all use a little inspiration right now?!
Woman of the Year - Jesse Durham of Sisters Coffee once ran a marathon to raise funds to help an all-women coffee co-op improve production
Young Hero - Angie Acevedo, now a student at COCC, made a name for herself at Bend High, where she advocated for immigrants and people experiencing poverty
Advancing Women - Karina Smith, a believer in the power of challenges to push people forward
Community Hero - Ruth Jones, supporting LatinX families through the JUNTOS program
Lifetime Achievement - Lawnae Hunter has had a remarkable career—but her passion lies in teaching and servant leadership
..And a shoutout to all the 2020 Women of the Year nominees, right here.
Also check out our other Women's Issue stories:
The Year of the Midwife - Home births attended by midwives could save health systems money, as well as offer a more personalized experience for some mothers
Two-Thirds Joseph - Natalie and Allison Closner dish on their latest album, women in music and the dynamic of being sisters in a band
These Ladies Rock - Central Oregon’s upcoming shows, highlight women in music
Shifting Gender Bias - Women in STEAM helps women in the math and sciences overcome common hurdles
New Adventures for Julie Winter - Newly renamed print shop in La Pine will host Third Thursday art walk art
Powered by Women - It’s Women’s History Month! Here are some upcoming local events celebrating women, in March and beyond.
Passion is Key Ingredient in Culinary Careers - Local female chefs, loving what they do
She Can Brew It - 10 Barrel’s Brewmaster of Research and Development gives a look inside her relationship with beer
The Sporting Life - Three local women working to close gender gaps in sporting communities
She Moves Mountains - Combatting gender exclusivity in the world of rock climbing
Women CEOs in Cannabis - Shaking up the weed industry’s “dudebro” image in Central Oregon
Check out the digital edition below:
