(March 7, 2024) On Thursday, March 21, 2024, the Maryland Commission for Women will induct five women into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame and present the 2024 Maryland Young Women Leaders Award to five high school students.
The 2024 inductees into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame are:
- The Honorable Adrienne Jones, the first African American and the first woman Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
- The Honorable Susan Lee, the first Asian American to serve as Maryland’s Secretary of State, first Asian American elected to the Senate, and first Chinese American elected to the General Assembly
- The Honorable Brooke Lierman, Comptroller of the State of Maryland, the first woman to hold this office and the first woman independently elected to any of Maryland’s constitutional offices
- The Honorable Aruna Miller, the second woman to serve as Lieutenant Governor and the first woman of color and the first immigrant elected to statewide office in Maryland
- Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, a U.S. Congresswoman, first elected 1987 and who served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (2007 – 2011 and 2019 – 2023).
The Maryland Hall of Fame exhibit is on display at the Notre Dame of Maryland University’s Knott Science and Innovation Center and on an electronic interactive kiosk at the Maryland Women’s Heritage Center. In addition, complete inductee biographies are posted permanently on the Maryland State Archives website.
The Maryland Young Women Leaders Award recipients are:
- Kiera Caffrey, St. Timothy’s School, Baltimore County
- Emily Dong, River Hill High School, Howard County
- Lily Peng, River Hill High School, Howard County
- Fariza Samadova, Western School of Technology, Baltimore County
- Brooke Silver, Bethesda Chevy Chase High School, Montgomery County
With a generous donation from the Pai Ping Foundation, the Foundation for the Maryland Commission for Women will provide a $500 scholastic award to each of the five honorees.
The Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame was established in 1985 as a partnership between the Maryland Commission for Women and the Women Legislators of Maryland to memorialize and honor Maryland women whose lives and work are of historic significance to the health, economic, political, and cultural history of the state. The Maryland Women’s Heritage Center serves as one of the consultants in the selection process.
The Maryland Young Women Leaders Award was first established as the Women of Tomorrow Award in 1997 to recognize extraordinary young women who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, academic achievement, and outstanding community service. In 2021, the name of the award was changed to better reflect its purpose of recognizing and encouraging future women leaders.
The inductees and award recipients will have a ceremony and a website honoring all ten. The website will “go live” on Thursday, March 21 at 9 a.m. Visit www.marylandwomen.org.
The Maryland Commission for Women is an advisory board established by state law. Its 25 commissioners are appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the state Senate. Among the duties assigned to the Commission by its enabling legislation is the recognition of women’s accomplishments and contributions.
Media Contact: Tawanda Bailey, tbailey1963@gmail.com
