Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards (an inspiring, celebrity-filled night to remember)

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be attending an event with A-List celebrities…but that’s exactly what I had the privilege of doing in New York City on Monday during the 20th Annual Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards.

I attended the event as a guest of one of our clients, Katie Spotz, an inspiring young woman from Mentor, Ohio.

Glamour.com photo

Katie was being awarded with the Glamour WOTY honor after she became the youngest person to row solo across an ocean and the first American to row solo from Africa to South America. In doing so, she raised more than $100,000 in support of the Blue Planet Network’s mission of providing safe drinking water to the billion people around the world in need.

We have known about the awards ceremony for months, but were sworn to secrecy until the honorees were announced in the magazine last week. To say our PR team was excited would be a massive understatement.

As you’ll recall, I’ve spent the last 6 weeks working hard to look great in my little plum dress…I think all my hard efforts paid off and I felt smokin’ hot after getting all glammed up.

Our public relations team

Each Glamour WOTY honoree was introduced by a major celebrity. Katie was honored by Diane Sawyer (she had interviewed Katie after she finished her row). During her introduction, Diane declared “Katie teaches us that you can never reach a new land if you are afraid to lose sight of the shore."

 

Did I mention that we had fantastic seats? As in 4th row awesomeness kind of seats (right in front of Al Roker’s wife, Deborah Roberts). It was the perfect location to capture photos of so many women I never thought I’d see beyond the pages of fashion/tabloid magazines and TV/movie screens.

Like Janet Jackson, Hillary Swank, Queen Rania, Donatella Versace, Kate Hudson, Chelsea Clinton, Katie Couric, Lindsey Vonn, Lisa Leslie and Mia Hamm…

 

Kelly Osborn honored Constance McMillen…and declared “F*** the prom, tonight you’re dancing with me.” And then there was Fergie. Oh. My. Word. Fergie! She was so humble, down to earth and emotional in accepting her award. "You have to have--and use--an honest voice. You don't have to sing to have the world hear what you want to say."

And my personal favorite, Julia Roberts, who was introduced by her friend Oprah! She was everything I had imagined she’d be. Funny, lovable, and relatable. Her advice: "Know who you are...and never tuck your hair behind your ear, it never looks good."

Cher was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Stanley Tucci. She encouraged us not to accept no for an answer, explaining, “No is just some bulls**t word someone made up.”

It was a whirlwind trip, one that I’m still pinching myself to make sure it actually happened. I left the event on cloud nine…and forever inspired by so many outstanding women. To quote Fergie, “We are women, hear us roar!”