School to honor “Power Women” and “Power Couple” for their dedication to Baltimore and commitment to youth empowerment
The Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women (BLSYW) is set to host its highly anticipated 10th annual (Em)Power Breakfast on Tuesday, October 31, making its return to downtown Baltimore. This milestone event, both in-person and virtual, will celebrate the outstanding students and distinguished honorees whose personal and professional accomplishments, dedication to Baltimore, and commitment to the school inspire the students on their journey to success.
The (Em)Power Breakfast honors those community role models that exemplify the school’s core values of professionalism, resilience, integrity, determination and enthusiasm (P.R.I.D.E.). The 2023 event will honor Dawn Moore, First Lady of Maryland as a “Power Woman.” With over two decades of leadership experience, Moore and the Moore Family Foundation have impacted the Baltimore community by supporting first-generation college graduates; fostering economic opportunity; prioritizing community enrichment, health research and development; and advocating for the arts.
Also being honored as a “Power Woman” is Janet Currie, president of Bank of America Greater Maryland and the market executive for the Local Markets Organization. Within Bank of America, Janet serves as the Co-Executive Sponsor for LEAD for Women, an employee network dedicated to connecting, developing, and elevating women to enable them to make meaningful contributions with Bank of America and the communities it serves. Through this role, Currie acts as a mentor and has been recognized as a Baltimore Sun “25 Women to Watch” honoree, a Baltimore Business Journal 2022 “Enterprising Women of Excellence” honoree and “Maryland’s Top 100 Women” 2023 by The Daily Record.
BLSYW will also honor “Power Couple” Patricia and Michael Batza. Known as one of the region’s most respected philanthropic families, the Batzas have consistently devoted their time, guidance and resources to further the critical missions of various Baltimore organizations. Over the last few decades, they have created a profound and lasting impact on families and communities without pretense or condition. Their commitment to education, underserved communities and the overall welfare of individuals has earned them recognition and continues to inspire others.
The 2022 (Em)Power Breakfast engaged over 500 supporters at the Owings Mills Marriott Metro Centre hotel and raised more than $530,000 to support programming and educational opportunities for students. BLSYW relies on generous financial support from event sponsors to help carry out its mission. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Carrie Stickel in BLSYW’s Development Office at empower@blsyw.org.
To learn more about the event and how to purchase tickets, visit blsyw.org/empower_breakfast.
The Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women (BLSYW) is an all-girls, college-preparatory public charter school serving young women residing in Baltimore since 2009. Through academics and social-emotional learning, BLSYW students are taught to develop a strong sense of self, sisterhood, compassion and good decision-making. The school is an affiliate of the Young Women’s Leadership Network. For more information, visit blsyw.org.
Past (Em)Power Breakfast Honorees
| Name | Honoree Year |
| Richard “Dick” Cass | 2014 |
| Barbara Himmelrich | 2014 |
| Sherrilyn Ifill | 2014 |
| William “Brit” E. Kirwan | 2015 |
| Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake | 2015 |
| Sheila Riggs | 2015 |
| Howard Brown | 2016 |
| Barbara Bozzuto | 2016 |
| Maria Harris Tildon | 2016 |
| Alison and Arnold Richman | 2017 |
| Jacqueline Hrabowski | 2017 |
| Marjorie Rodgers Cheshire | 2017 |
| Ron Daniels | 2018 |
| Amanda Lipitz | 2018 |
| Alicia Wilson | 2018 |
| Calvin G. Butler, Jr. | 2019 |
| Sharon Henry, M.D. and Thomas Scalea, M.D. | 2019 |
| Gail Shawe | 2019 |
| Marilynn Duker | 2020 |
| Augie Chiasera | 2020 |
| Stephanie C. Hill | 2020 |
| Carla Hayden, Ph.D. | 2021 |
| Patricia and Mark Joseph | 2021 |
| Senator Barbara Mikulski | 2021 |
| Rheda Becker | 2022 |
| Maria Jacobs, M.D. | 2022 |
| Craig Thompson | 2022 |
