School Committeewoman LaTonia Monroe Naylor gave the opening prayer and City Councilor Kateri Walsh spoke on the history of International Women’s Day. The celebration also featured community awards that recognized special women in our community for their unyielding commitment and dedication to family and the community. The special guest speaker was former Framingham Mayor Dr. Yvonne M. Spicer and Poet Lynette Johnson gave a moving and heartfelt poem.
Those women being recognized included Willette Johnson, Page Monroe, Teka Jones, Naomi Naylor and Sarah Marino.
Mayor Sarno states, “I want to thank Ayanna Crawford for reaching out to my office and coordinating this wonderful event with my Mayoral Aide Lavar Click-Bruce. Such a heartfelt and beautiful ceremony. To all of the women in our community, especially our mothers, including my wife Carla and my late mother Clara Sarno, we love and appreciate you. Every day we love and treasure those special women in our lives and deeply miss our departed loved ones. I want to thank former Framingham Mayor Dr. Yvonne Spicer for coming out to Springfield and providing the keynote address – she is such a proud and accomplished woman, a trailblazer for sure. To all of the women recognized during the ceremony, congratulations and thank you for what you continue to do day in and day out for our families and for the community. God Bless you all and God Bless all the women in our City of Springfield.”
