Decatur, GA — Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-4) honored 11 women in Georgia’s fourth congressional district with is Trailblazer Awards on March 23. The awards recognize honorees for their pioneering careers and service to their communities.

According to a Press Release, all honorees were pioneers and champions in their fields of service in recognition of Women’s History Month.

Special guests included Poet Laureate Hank Stewart, who recited a poem honoring the award winners, and trumpeter Melvin M. Miller. The Towers High School Ensemble performed the National Anthem and a special selection.

Elected officials who attended included U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, who was invited as a guest to honor his mother, Heather Fenton; Stonecrest Mayor Jazzmin Cobble, who attended to honor her aunt Rita Scott, a MARTA board member and union advocate; and State Rep. Billy Mitchell (D—Stone Mountain).

Here are the honorees:

– Sushma Barakoti: Executive Director of the Refugee Women’s Network (RWN) Inc, an Atlanta based non-profit serving refugees resettled in Georgia. [DeKalb County]

– Cheryl Board: Executive Director of the Non-Profit Consortium that works to empower nonprofits and increase their capacity for leadership and change-making within their communities. [Rockdale County]

– Heather Fenton: Co-founder of NewPowerPAC, an organization that worked to elect women to local office across Georgia. [DeKalb County]

– Awilda Gonzalez: President of the Enclave Homeowners Association. [Newton County]

– Cynthia Roman-Hernandez: Vice President of Family Stabilization and Well-being Program at the Latin American Association. [DeKalb County]

– Jan McIntrye: The first Black female Director of Fleet Management in Atlanta history and an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Association. [DeKalb County]

– Leona Perry: Served multiple terms as the 3rd Vice Chair of the DeKalb County Democratic Committee and the DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections. [DeKalb County]

– Rita Scott: President of the Communication Workers of America Retired Members Council Local 3204 and currently represents DeKalb on the MARTA Board. [DeKalb County]

– Carolyn H. Sutton: Runs Enclave with the State of Georgia to distribute lunches to children in need during the summer. [Newton County]

– Honey Van De Kreke: One of the founding mothers of the City of Tucker, where she has served on the city council, the Tucker Business Association, and the Tucker CID. [Tucker/DeKalb]

– Lisa A. Wright: Runs her own accounting and business advisory firm, LA Wright & Associates, LLC, and has also served as Treasurer on various boards including the DeKalb County

– Chapter of the NAACP. [DeKalb County]

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