Amy Richards and Gloria Steinem Honored with Inaugural Gracies Torch Award
Hosted by ABC News’ Rebecca Jarvis
at Cipriani 42nd Street
PHOTOS: CLICK HERE *Credit: Getty Images for the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation
NEW YORK, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The AWM Foundation (AWMF) presented the 51st Annual Gracie Awards Luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Host Rebecca Jarvis, Chief Business, Technology & Economics Correspondent for ABC News led the program alongside an exceptional lineup of presenters, including Andrea Canning (NBC News), Crystal Rosas (Z100), Sara Sidner (CNN), and Scott Stanford (1010 WINS). The program concluded with Rebekah Dopp, Global CEO of the Better Business Bureau, presenting the Inaugural Gracies Torch Award to Amy Richards and Gloria Steinem in recognition of their decades of leadership, advocacy and commitment to creating opportunities for others.
“A Gracie Award can affirm a voice, elevate a career and open a door. For our student winners especially, it can be a moment that says, ‘You belong here,'” said AWM Foundation President Becky Brooks “Through the Gracies, we are not only celebrating excellence—we are helping create the opportunities that strengthen the future of women in media.”
The Gracie Awards were presented to honorees which were previously announced (full list of honorees here) in recognition of individual achievement and outstanding programming by, for and about women in local and student television, radio, audio and digital platforms.
Highlights from the event included:
- Monica Bloom, Chair of the AWM Foundation and Chief Marketing Officer of Kino Lorber Media Group, opened the luncheon by emphasizing the reach and influence of the work being honored. “At a time when authentic voices and trusted reporting matter more than ever, the work of our Gracie honorees has a real and lasting impact,” Bloom said.
- Rebecca Jarvis, reflected on the essential role of local journalism and the lessons she learned from her mother, also a journalist. “Journalism depends on trust—on people who are willing to ask difficult questions, follow the facts, listen closely and tell stories with accuracy and humanity,” Jarvis said, recalling how her mother taught her “to ask the tough questions, even when there is a high cost of doing so.”
- Sara Sidner, CNN Anchor and Senior National Correspondent, spoke directly to the students in the room and reflected on lessons from the early years of her reporting career. “Know thyself,” Sidner said. “You have to understand who you are before you can truly tell someone else’s story.”
- Crystal Rosas of iHeart’s Z100 New York presented the Local Market Radio Awards and spoke about the unique relationship between radio professionals and their audiences. “Whether you are keeping listeners company, sharing important news or creating a moment of joy, radio has a way of making people feel connected,” Rosas said. “That is what makes local radio so powerful.”
- Megan Van Tine, Director of Corporate Communications at Hallmark Media, presented the 2026 Make Her Mark Scholarship to Hannah Carranza, a Film and Television student at Hofstra University. “Hannah’s story is proof that it only takes one person to believe in you to catapult a dream into reality,” Van Tine said. “We hope this scholarship reminds her—and everyone in this room—that her voice belongs in this industry, her vision matters and the path she is building is already meaningful.”
- Scott Stanford, Morning News Anchor at Audacy’s 1010 WINS on 92.3 FM, brought humor and warmth to the luncheon while recognizing the support surrounding the day’s honorees. He also acknowledged Colin Kaepernick, who attended as the “number one fan” of his wife, Gracie Award honoree Nessa.
- Andrea Canning, Correspondent for Dateline NBC, reflected on her beginnings in local news and the experience required to serve local communities. “Local news teaches you to handle breaking stories, think on your feet and ask better questions,” Canning said. “Most importantly, it teaches you how to connect with people, and I know firsthand the talent, dedication, resilience and heart it takes to do this work.”
- Rebekah Dopp, Global CEO of the Better Business Bureau and a member of the AWM Board of Directors, presented the inaugural Gracies Torch Award to Amy Richards and Gloria Steinem. “The most important measure of leadership is not what we accomplish for ourselves, but what we make possible for others,” Dopp said. “Amy and Gloria have spent decades showing us that leadership is a torch to carry together.”
- Amy Richards, inaugural Gracies Torch Award honoree, closed the program by reflecting on the responsibility to use individual achievement to create opportunities for others. “Our individual successes can’t stop with one person,” Richards said. “In the true spirit of the Gracies Torch Award, we promise to keep igniting others—because if each of us has a torch, there will be a lot more light.”
The AWM Foundation also invited attendees and supporters to continue investing in the next generation of women in media through the Gracies Gift & Experience Fundraiser. Proceeds support scholarships, mentorship, educational programs and professional development opportunities. To bid or donate, visit HERE.
The luncheon is made possible by generous sponsors including: ABC News, Audacy, Better Business Bureau (BBB), Disney, Graham Media Group, Hallmark Media, Hearst Television, Hofstra University, iHeartMedia, Katz Media Group, NBCUniversal Local, NCTA: The Internet & Television Association, and Red Apple Media/WABC.
The National Gracie Award honorees were recognized at the Gracies Gala, May19, at The Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. Again, a full list of recipients may be found on the Alliance for Women in Media website.
About The Gracie Awards
The Gracie Awards is the largest fundraiser of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation which advances women in media through educational programs and scholarships. The Gracie Awards honors exemplary programming and individual talent created by, for, and about women. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), NCTA – The Internet & Television Association and other organizations philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. For more information about The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and the Gracie Awards please visit allwomeninmedia.org and follow us on X (@AllWomeninMedia), (#TheGracies), Instagram (@allwomeninmedia), Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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SOURCE Alliance for Women in Media Foundation
