Princess Sarah Culberson, Fellow ‘Sheroes’ To Be Honored At First Annual Sheroic Gala
Shero’s Rise, A Non-Profit Organization Dedicated To Empowering Girls And Young Women From Underserved Communities, Celebrates Its Second Anniversary By Honoring Three “Sheroes” Transforming Their Communities
Princess of Sierra Leone Sarah Culberson will be honored with the Shero of the Year Award at first annual Shero’s Rise Sheroic Gala on November 12 at Mount Saint Mary’s University – Chalon Campus. Fellow “Sheroes” Youlanda Copeland-Morgan and Dr. Pearl Grimes will also be honored at the gala, which will be hosted by “Big Little Lies” and STARZ’s “Shining Vale” actress Merrin Dungey. The proceeds from the gala will go to Shero’s Rise. This women-founded and primarily women-led non-profit organization provides transformational programming and mentorship that empowers girls in underserved communities to become agents of change in their world.
All three women are honored for their advocacy for women’s rights, representation, and values that embody Shero’s Rise’s commitment to empowering young women to use their voices for the collective good of their communities.
The Shero of the Year Award recipient will be Princess Sarah Culberson for her activism in rebuilding education, public health, and female empowerment in Sierra Leone. The Empowerment Award will be awarded to Dr. Pearl Grimes, a dermatologist and founder of Coalition for At-Risk Restoring Youth (CARRY), a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk & foster care youth through pro bono clinics and other enrichment programs. The recipient of the annual Bernadette Robert Sheroic Mentorship Award will be Youlonda Copeland-Morgan. This nationally recognized leader has fought for over 35 years to bolster access, equity, and minority participation in higher education. A true Shero to many, Copeland-Morgan was most recently the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA).
“It takes a special person to change the world, and I can confidently say our honorees perfectly embody what it means to be a Shero. Each of these three women created positive change in their communities, and we are excited to honor their accomplishments and further inspire our 300-plus young Sheroes to use their voice, learn their worth and value, and build a brighter future for all girls,” said Shero’s Rise Founder and President Sonali Perera Bridges.
Mount Saint Mary’s University will also receive a partnership award. “The Mount shares our mission and vision to empower Unstoppable Sheroes,” said Bridges. “Because of them, we were able to have our program in person, along with a synchronous Zoom with girls from around the country, at no cost for this one year only, at the Doheny Campus in Downtown LA.”
To purchase gala tickets and support Shero’s Rise, visit sherosrise.org/gala.
Shero’s Rise started in October 2020 by founder Sonali Perera Bridges, an alumna of Mount Saint Mary’s University. Shero’s Rise is a ground-breaking and transformative program that builds a girl’s social-emotional capital, creating a smooth road to self-actualization. The mission is to empower girls in underserved communities through educational programming and meaningful mentorship to activate their inner strengths and guide their journey of internal self-discovery. The nonprofit is grounded in research on child and adolescent development, fueled by the power of storytelling, and fortified by relationship building that combine to Ignite The Force Within each girl, allowing her to become her own Shero. sherosrise.org
