Womanspace, a Mercer County nonprofit dedicated to serving individuals and families impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault, will honor Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman with the Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award in recognition of her tireless advocacy, dedication, and achievements in advancing gender equality, empowering women, and supporting initiatives that promote a more just, equitable, and violence-free community for all.
The 28th Annual Awards Dinner will takes place Thursday, May 30, at 5:30 p.m. at the Boathouse on Mercer Lake in West Windsor. Cost: $225 and up. For more information or to register visit www.womanspace.org.
Bonnie Watson Coleman has served as the U.S. Representative for New Jersey’s 12th congressional district since 2015 and is the first Black woman to represent New Jersey in Congress. She is a member of the Appropriations Committee and serves as chair of the Policing, Constitution, and Equality task force in the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Watson Coleman has introduced legislation to ensure the safety, civil rights, and quality of life for all in her district, especially women, economically disadvantaged populations, and other vulnerable groups. She is a founder of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls and is an active member of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, The Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
On being selected as this year’s Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award recipient, Rep, Watson Coleman said “I am honored and humbled to receive the Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award. Barbara and my father served together on the Mercer County Board of Freeholders. When she and my mother had cancer, Barbara would come comfort my mother. To receive an award previously granted to such esteemed peers as Cokie Roberts, Diane Sawyer, and C. Vivian Stringer is a high honor. I thank Womanspace for the work that they’ve done and for recognizing the efforts of men and women who have worked so hard to advance the work of those fighting to end violence against women and create a safer and more peaceful world.”
The Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award is presented to an individual who has used their platform to raise public awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault and inspire others to greater action and engagement in their own communities. The award is named for Barbara Boggs Sigmund who as Mayor of Princeton and the first woman Freeholder in Mercer County, was the driving political force behind the 1977 founding of Womanspace. Daughter of the late Congressman Hale Boggs and the Honorable Lindy Boggs, Barbara’s dedication as a public servant, particularly in her crusade against domestic violence, is unparalleled even today.
In addition to the award ceremony, the night will include a cocktail reception followed by dinner, drinks, and a raffle. The proceeds from this event go to providing services for women, men, and children affected by domestic or sexual violence.
