UMD alumni Jolene Ivey, Dawn Moore receive awards at reproductive health gala

Prominent University of Maryland alumni Jolene Ivey and Dawn Moore were honored for their work in reproductive health at Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC’s annual Impact Gala on Saturday night.

This year’s Impact Gala included remarks from several notable figures in the reproductive health field and the presentation of four awards. The gala — held at the Waldorf Astoria Washington, D.C. hotel — was hosted by rapper and actor Common.

The two alumni from this university who received awards included Prince George’s County Council chair and District 5 council member Ivey and Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore.

“[The gala is] an opportunity to refocus our attention and make sure that we are aware of what’s coming down the pipeline and that we can get involved,” the Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C.’s board chair Adrián González, told The Diamondback.

The ballroom’s decorations and the crowd’s outfits created a sea of pink and purple among the event’s 500 attendees. As they were served salad, steak and a wide array of desserts, the attendees were entertained with live music and dancing between speeches.

Ivey, who formerly served on the organization’s board, received the Ally Award for diversifying the board and creating the organization’s health center in Suitland, Maryland. Ivey championed equitable healthcare throughout Prince George’s County, the organization’s website stated.

Ivey emphasized the upcoming election in November during her acceptance speech. She noted that she first joined the Planned Parenthood board during former president Barack Obama’s term.

“But then [former president Donald] Trump was elected, and I just felt like we were in a foxhole together, you know?” she said. “The work that we were doing became even more important and we had to keep up the fight.”

Dawn Moore received the Champion of Reproductive Health Award — which recognizes a leader who advances “reproductive health care access and health equity,” according to the organization’s website.

“Most people know me as Maryland’s First Lady, but I’ve been a champion for women’s and children’s rights across more than two decades of public service,” she said.

Dawn Moore highlighted how she and her husband, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, have already progressed in advancing Maryland’s reproductive rights. One of the governor’s first acts included releasing the reproductive health care state funding previously withheld by former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration, Dawn Moore said.

Dawn Moore finished her remarks by emphasizing the importance of the upcoming election. Increasing representation up and down the ballot is crucial to ensure that more healthcare providers can be equipped to handle women’s health, she said.

[Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore discusses mental health, women’s empowerment with UMD deans]

Following Dawn Moore, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America president Alexis McGill centered her remarks around how every piece of the PPMW and Planned Parenthood’s infrastructure sustains hope and freedom, she said.

“Hope is work. It requires sacrifice and discomfort. It requires personal risk because hope is not charity,” McGill said. “It’s actually an act of resistance.”

Senior public policy major Hannah Breslau attended the gala as president of this university’s Pro-Choice Terps student group, a Planned Parenthood Generation Action organization. Breslau was most excited to hear from activists and advocates who shared her passions, she told The Diamondback.

“I’m very grateful that I can be here as a Generation Action student, and it’s nice to see a lot of familiar faces,” she said.

Other awardees included the John Thomas and Adele M. Thomas Charitable Foundation, Inc., which received the Distinguished Philanthropist Award. The Howard University’s men’s basketball team and its coach Kenneth Blakeney received the Catalyst Award.

In her speech, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser emphasized the importance of the fight for the district’s statehood and voiced support for Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election.

[Hundreds of UMD students gather for presidential debate watch parties across campus]

PPMW president and CEO Laura Meyers then highlighted the impact of abortion bans across the nation after Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022.

“Because of bans in 22 states, Virginia, DC and Maryland are now the southernmost places in the Eastern U.S. without bans,” she said. “PPMW is quite literally on the front lines of this public health crisis.”

Through donations during the evening’s auction, the event raised $144,000 to support initiatives like the Abortion Access Fund and the Mobile Healthcare Unit. Both programs help provide healthcare to communities where it would otherwise be inaccessible, Nancy Frazier, PPMW’s vice president of development said.

González saw the event as a celebration of the hard work and accomplishments of the attendees, he said.

“It’s been a hard year, as I’m sure everyone is aware, and sometimes it is nice to be in a room with like-minded people,” González told The Diamondback. “I truly believe that each one of us is walking the walk, talking the talk and fighting the fight in our everyday lives.”