SC Women in Leadership (SC WIL) will honor S.C. State Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (pictured) as their 2024 Leadership Legacy honoree at the annual Leading Women Dinner on September 24, 2024, at 701 Whaley Street in Columbia. SC WIL is a statewide multi-partisan organization working to empower women to lead in appointed and elected office through training, connections, and resources.
The Leading Women Dinner recognizes and celebrates South Carolina women who have stepped forward to seek elective (win or lose) and appointive office, honors women who have blazed trails in civic leadership, and builds a support network to encourage women to vie for civic leadership roles. The Leadership Legacy Award is bestowed to a woman whose career has made a lasting positive impact on their state by blazing a trail in civic leadership, exemplifying the principles of altruism, empathy, and collaboration, and supporting and encouraging other women leaders that follow them.
Widely respected on both sides of the aisle, the Honorable Gilda Cobb-Hunter is the longest-serving Representative in the South Carolina General Assembly, and her historic public service record includes becoming the first African American woman elected to statewide office, where she still serves today representing Orangeburg County. Additionally, she is the only freshman legislator appointed to the powerful House Ways and Means Committee where she is now the ranking member and First Vice Chairwoman, as well as the first person of color elected to lead a legislative caucus as former House Minority Leader.
Rep. Cobb-Hunter has worked tirelessly and passionately across the aisle to make sure our rural communities don’t vanish – taking local jobs, schools, and local healthcare away – fighting for quality education for everyone, and advocating for the needs of children and families,” says Sara Ballard, executive director of SC WIL. Ballard continues, “Her long standing commitment and dedication as a community activist, social worker, and elected official has improved the lives not just of the citizens of Orangeburg County that she represents, but all South Carolinians. She is an example to not just women, but all civic leaders.”
SC WIL is accepting nominations for the 2024 Rising Star Award through August 16, 2024. The Rising Star honoree shall be a young civic leader between 25 and 45 years of age who demonstrates positivity, commitment to community, and resilience to bring South Carolinians together in a political climate that threatens to divide us. The nominee must have exhibited involvement in civic, charitable, and/or political organizations and a willingness to bring other women along, mentor, and otherwise support the advancement of women in leadership and live, work, and/or serve in South Carolina. Click here to nominate a Rising Star.
“Filling the civic leadership pipeline with women is a pillar of SC WIL’s work,” says Ballard. “South Carolina ranks at the bottom in the proportion of women in elected and appointed office. We must encourage and support women leaders to help us achieve and sustain equal representation in our state.”
Justice Kaye Hearn was previously announced as their 2024 Leading Woman for her instrumental role in the consideration of qualified female candidates to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court of South Carolina and securing the unanimous election of the third female Justice in the history of the Court.
The Leading Women Dinner includes a reception at 6 p.m., followed by a seated dinner and awards ceremony beginning at 7 p.m. Guests at the historically sold-out event will include some 300 current and former female candidates, elected and appointed officials, and supporters of equal representation in civic leadership. Corporate sponsorships, tables, and individual tickets are available. Proceeds from the event support SC WIL’s mission of recruiting and training women to run for elective and appointive office in South Carolina.
