Our annual Unapologetically Woman Fall Sneaker Ball was held on Friday, September 8th at the Carrick House in Lexington, where we awarded the Unapologetic Woman of the Year honor.
The gala fundraiser, sponsored by Central Bank and numerous other area businesses, was a celebration of empowerment and the hard work that goes into bettering lives and communities. Guests enjoyed photo booths with a New Orleans twist and Cajun-inspired bites provided by Lundy’s Special Events. Natural Progression, a Cincinnati-based band, played live music throughout the night as guests danced in their formal wear and sneakers – a metaphor showing that no matter how far we climb toward success, we will always keep our feet on the ground, ready to walk with those in need.
The highlight of the evening was, of course, the naming of the 2023 Unapologetic Woman of the Year. The Council’s Unapologetically Woman webseries profiles the lives of phenomenal women from around the Commonwealth who have made it their mission to serve their communities and deserve recognition for their incredible work. Since its inception, the Unapologetically Woman series has highlighted and lifted the voices of 50 women each year.
Women are nominated by their families, friends, and peers to be part of the series where they are recognized as a woman who shows strength, works hard, and “does not apologize for her perspective or her impact on the community.” The featured women then vote on which of their peers is most deserving of the Woman of the Year title. This year, honorees chose from a list of journalists, finance experts, therapists, civil servants, educators, moms, wives, creators, and entrepreneurs.
As voted on by her fellow honorees, the 2023 Unapologetic Woman of the Year is Charlette Cox-Thompson. Cox-Thompson, a resident of Lexington, is a wife, mother, singer, nurse practitioner specializing in mental healthcare, owner of The Healing Well, and pastor of Open Door House Ministries.
Whether it is fighting the stigma and misinformation surrounding mental health, feeding the hungry in downtown Lexington every Tuesday night, advocating for organ donation, or traveling to disaster areas to provide medical assistance, Cox-Thompson puts her whole self into everything she does.
Sharon Price, executive director of the Council said, “Charlette is a truly phenomenal woman. We are honored to have her as an ally in our fight against poverty and to bestow the Unapologetic Woman of the Year title on her.”
The next Unapologetically Woman Fall Sneaker Ball will be held in September 2024. We invite everyone to join us and rub elbows with the influential and powerful women shaping Kentucky while we dance, celebrate, and support the hard work that goes on every day to build a better world.
To see all the illuminating interviews with the 2023 Unapologetic Women visit the Council’s YouTube page at youtube.com/@Lexcommaction.