New York State Secretary of State Rossana Rosado was inducted into the Westchester Women’s Hall of Fame by the YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester today in recognition of her diverse career and decades of service to the community. Secretary Rosado, the first Hispanic woman to receive the honor, also delivered the keynote address at the YWCA’s annual “In The Company of Women” luncheon in Tarrytown.
Secretary Rosado is the 34th Women’s Hall of Fame inductee. The annual “In the Company of Women” luncheon promotes the YWCA’s mission of empowering women and eliminating racism. This year’s theme was “Strong alone, Fearless together.”
The luncheon brought together more than 600 diverse and successful women from Westchester County to network and learn from each other. Other women recognized this year included Umran Beba of PepsiCo, Sandra Richards of Morgan Stanley and Mecca Santana from Westchester Medical Center.
“As a Westchester resident, I’m humbled by this honor and inspired by the limitless potential of the individuals who participate in this important event,” said Secretary Rosado. “I thank the YWCA and the community for this recognition, and I am proud to stand with my neighbors and female leaders from diverse fields. This is an important time for women in our society, and we must continue to work together and support each other as we strive to build a better community, state, nation, and world.”
“Every year we strive to choose honorees who exemplify the YWCA mission of empowering women and elimination racism,” said Maria L. Imperial, Chief Executive Officer of the YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester. “We are thrilled to have Secretary Rosado here to be inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame as she is a trailblazer but most importantly she motivates ALL women and girls to believe in the power of our voice and to DREAM BIG. Her passion, perseverance and dedication to our movement is inspiring. We are proud to recognize her.”
Secretary Rosado’s inspirational career spans media, education and public service. During her keynote address, Secretary Rosado shared her professional and personal experiences to help peers in her working and personal lives.
Secretary Rosado was the first woman to serve as Publisher & CEO of el Diario la Prensa, the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the country. For 18 years, she oversaw the paper’s operations, which generated more than $22 million in annual revenue. Secretary Rosado advocated in the paper's editorial pages for advancement on issues affecting a wide array of New Yorkers. She solidified the paper and herself as influential leaders for social and economic justice. During her 30-year media career, Secretary Rosado earned an Emmy Award, a STAR Award from the NY Women's Agenda, and a Peabody Award for Journalism.
Secretary Rosado was a Distinguished Lecturer at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she has also been a member of the College's Foundation Board of Trustees. She also taught courses at Sing Sing and Otisville Correctional Facilities in New York State.
Secretary Rosado was nominated by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and unanimously confirmed by the State Senate as the 66th Secretary of State of New York in 2016. In addition to leading this diverse state agency, Secretary Rosado chairs Governor Cuomo's Council on Community Re-entry and Reintegration for New Yorkers, co-chairs the NY Stands with Puerto Rico Rebuilding and Reconstructing Committee, and serves on the Board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
About YWCA
YWCA supports women’s economic empowerment and a work and family agenda. Women comprise more than half of today’s workforce. One in 4 women are now the sole or primary breadwinners for their families. An overwhelming majority of mothers with children under 18 years of age are working. Women of color are overrepresented in low-wage industries that lack basic workplace protections. There is no doubt that women are central to the economic well-being of their families and play a critical role in our nation’s economic prosperity. Despite this, 21st-century workplace policies are out-of-date and do not adequately support a women’s ability to balance work-family demands. All women and their families would benefit from family-friendly policies such as paid sick days, an increase in the minimum wage, and fair scheduling practices.