Center for Women honors feminists

As Ann Jawin, founder of the Center for the Women of New York (CWNY), presented awards to a number of politicians and feminists at the 20th annual CWNY dinner dance, her honorees were equally praising of her and the organization.
At the event, held on Thursday, April 26, City Councilmember James Gennaro, who was raised by a single mother, said, “I would be doing justice to my mom by supporting this organization.”
And Assemblymember Ann Margaret Carrozza, one of 18 honorees, urged dinner dance attendees at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel in Flushing to find out more about the CWNY.
“I do hope that you will consider becoming involved in this very special group,” she said, before announcing that she had secured an additional $20,000 for the organization in addition to $12,500 she had allocated for the CWNY’s operating costs.
Honored as feminists, which Jawin pointed out could be either a man or woman who supported women’s rights, were Congressmember Gary Ackerman; Noreen Connell, past President of the National Organization for Women; Carole De Saram, past President of NOW NYC Chapter; Judy Sanford Guise, of the National Organization for Women; Amy Hackett, a Board Member for the Veteran Feminists of America; Merle Hoffman, President of Choices Women’s Medical Center; Assemblymember Nettie Mayersohn; Barbara Rochman, of the Veteran Feminists of America; Susan Wu Rathbone, Founder of the Queens Chinese Women’s Association and Grace Welch, a Board Member of the Veteran Feminists of America.
In addition, special recognition was given to Carrozza, Arthur Cheliotes, Director of CWA, AFL-CIO; Phil Konigsberg, past President of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance; Deputy Queens Borough President Karen Koslowitz; Grace Meng, President of the Queens Chinese Women’s Association; Councilmembers Helen Sears and David Weprin; and Assemblymember William Scarborough for their support of the CWNY over the years.
Founded 20 years ago, the CWNY has served as a resource center for women in the area, offering support for victims of domestic violence, computer classes for women who wanted to advance their careers, and English as a Second Language (ESL) training for immigrants.
Today, CWNY is still going strong, Jawin said.
At the dinner dance, Jawin spoke about her own initiation into the feminism movement - after she had learned that female medical assistants, who performed detailed eye sutures, were paid less than the men who carried supplies over to them.
“I always thought it was wrong, but I didn’t know how wrong,” she said. “These women didn’t know how to fight for themselves.”
Currently, the CWNY is in the process of securing and moving into a permanent home in a landmarked building on the grounds of Fort Totten in Bayside.