2025 Women of Achievement honorees: left to right: Dr. Nikia Grayson, Kayla Gore, Judge Julia Smith Gibbons, Maritza Davila-Irizarry, Gwendolyn Turner, Lauren Williams-Batiste.
The courage, determination and heroism of women — no matter the barriers or circumstances – were celebrated on March 30, 2025 at the 39th Women of Achievement awards. An immigrant artist, a trans woman, a barrier-breaking judge and advocates for women’s health and safety shared the stage at Memphis’s premier celebration of National Women’s History month.
The Women of Achievement honorees for 2025 are:
Courage: Lauren Williams-Batiste, organized successful neighborhood opposition to a proposed industrial sawmill
Determination: Kayla Gore, builds housing for trans people of color
Heritage: Joyce Blackmon, first female and African-American vice president at MLG&W
Heroism: Gwendolyn Turner, domestic violence survivor and advocate
Initiative: Maritza Davila-Irizarry, Puerto-Rican born acclaimed printmaker, art educator
Steadfastness: Judge Julia Smith Gibbons, federal appeals judge and first woman appointed to a court of record in Tennessee
Vision: Dr. Nikia Grayson, midwife and chief clinical officer at city’s first birth center
Seven awards are given each year to women in our community who have shown courage, determination, heroism, initiative, steadfastness and vision. We honor a woman of generations past whose accomplishments still enrich our lives today, with the heritage award.
“This year’s honorees celebrate women who stand up, speak out and open doors for other women,” said Women of Achievement co-founder Deborah Clubb, executive director of the Memphis Area Women’s Council. “Our 2025 honorees blazed pathways to judicial, corporate and visual art careers and push daily for full access to healthcare, housing, safety and healthy neighborhoods. Each one exhibits the tenacity, creativity and passion that make change and make history.”
The stories of 285 individual women and three groups – the suffragists, martyrs of the yellow fever, and the women who saved Overton Park – have been honored and documented on the Women of Achievement website. A three-volume book series captures biographical essays and photographs of WA honorees through 2004.
The ceremony was on March 30, 2025 at First Congregational Church. The spacious and bright sanctuary reflected the inspirational stories of our seven honorees. Each honoree is given a unique handmade plate by local potter Katie Dann. The honoree’s story was read, and we celebrated and were inspired by each of these remarkable women.
The Memphis Area Women’s Council advocates for women on the toughest issues, when women are ill-equipped or sometimes too traumatized to advocate for themselves — especially when it comes to safety at home, in the work place, and on campuses.
This work is ultimately satisfying and yet can be tiring and depressing and unwelcome in many circles. That is why we depend on our friends and supporters to keep our energies high, our focus crisp and our attitude positive, with hope renewed over and over.
This time of year is a good time for those who care about what we do to help us stay in the fray — by helping to defray the costs of the work. Please consider a donation to the Council today.
