Our gallery of Community Empowerment Leader Honorees include individuals who range from business professionals to local politicians to the everyday people that live in our community. These persons choose to speak up and speak out and their actions ensure that women and mothers are empowered to succeed in a variety of ways - and it's our sincere honor to acknowledge their work.
Our 2023 Honorees 
Ms. Evelyn Knight, Long Beach City Trailblazer
Ms. Tammi Mac, KJLH Radio​
Ms. Maxine Waters, U.S. Congress
Previous CEL Honorees
2022 Honorees:
  • Supervisor Janice Hahn, LA County Board of Supervisors
  • Dr. "Sweet" Alice Harris,  Parents of Watts​
  • Dr. Gloria Willingham-Toure, The Village P.r.o.j.e.c.t.s.
​2021 Honorees:
  • Ms. Lena Cole Dennis, Cole Dennis & Associates
  • Senator Lena Gonzalez, 33rd Senate District
  • Ms. Ivy Goolsby,  International Realty​
  • ​Dr.  Rosie Milligan,  Black Writers On Tour 
​2019 Honorees:
  • Dr. Minnie Douglas, LBCC Professor Emeritus​
  • Honorable Doris Topsy Elvord, former LB Vice Mayor
  • Ms. Carolyn Smith Watts, LB-Wrigley Country Club
​2018 Honorees:
  • Dr. Farah Khalegi, Community Improvement League
  • Dr. Cherilyn Lee, Nu Wellness Healthcare
  • Ms. Gwendolyn Manning, Black Infant Health​
2017 Honorees:
  • Dr. Lenore T. Coleman, Healing Our Village 
  • Dr. Kathryn Icenhower, Shields For  Families
  • Ms. Kim Anthony-Morrow, Urban Philanthropy, Inc.
  • Ms. Kiesha Nix, Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation​
2016 Honorees:
  • Ms. Pamela Davis, Skin Essence by Pam 
  • Dr. Karen Guinn, DDS, The Smile Agency ​
  • Mr. Don Knabe,  LA County Board of Supervisors
  • Ms. Jeanetta Phillips, Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles ​