Courageous Women in Journalism Awards

Last night, I had the opportunity to represent Hollywood The Write Way on the red carpet at the International Women’s Media Foundation’s 2008 Courage in Journalism Awards. Thank you to Dharmata Public Relations, Inc. for making it possible for me to attend this event, which took place at the Beverly Hills Hotel. I had the great honor and pleasure of seeing and meeting some phenomenal women.

Who I Saw (In order of appearance):

Emmanuelle Chriqui

Angie Harmon

Ginnifer Goodwin

Amy Adams

Renée Zellweger

On Honorees
“Their work is extraordinarily inspiring and important, especially now when the world is so complicated and the news seems to be edited to serve whoever might be financially involved in the media that is presenting it.”

Who I Met (In order of appearance):

Christiane Amanpour
Mistress of Ceremonies for the Event
IWMF Board Member & ’94 Courage In Journalism Award Winner

“I want to do my bit for the women who are out there courageously defying the odds to bring the truth. Truth is an increasingly scarce commodity. These women deserve to be recognized for their courage.”

Julie Chen

Favorite moment of Big Brother 10
“When Dan turned the game upside down, confused everybody, and made it to the finish line. I think he might be the best player that we have ever had.”

Diane English
Director and Screenwriter of The Women

Best Part About Filming The Women
“The best part about filming The Women was the fact that I got it done! It took 14 years to get this together. This is probably the most satisfying thing that has happened for me in a long time.”

Kerry Washington

Upcoming Film You Are Excited About
“I just finished a film with Eddie Murphy called ‘A Thousand Words’ and I am really excited about that film.”

First Lady Maria Shriver

Biggest Accomplishment in Journalism
“The fact that I survived. It is a very tough and competitive world.”

I also met IWMF 2008 Courage in Journalism Awards winners, Farida Nekzad of Afghanistan (managing editor and deputy director of Pajhwok Afghan News and vice president of the South Asia Media Commission), Sevgul Uludag of Cyprus (investigative reporter for Yeniduzen newspaper), and Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Edith Lederer (chief correspondent at the United Nations for the Associated Press). Also a Courage in Journalism Awards winner but unable to attend the event was Aye Aye Win, an Associated Press correspondent in Myanmar.

I talked to Farida Nekzad and she had this to say, “Even in my childhood I wished that I could do something to impact the lives of women in Afghanistan.”

I asked Edith Lederer which country has had the most impact on her (since she has pretty much been to every country) and Edith answered, “I started my career in Vietnam and I think that covering the Vietnam War really set the stage for my career as a foreign corespondent and war corespondent for the next 25 years. It really changed my life.”

Pick up the November issue of Glamour Magazine for a better detailed look into the lives Farida Nekzad and many other phenomenal women around the world.

The awards will also be presented at ceremonies in New York on October 21, 2008.

Photos: Credit