For Immediate Release

October 18, 2022

YW Calgary is thrilled to announce that Gloria Allred, fearless lawyer pioneering the field for women and minority rights, will be the keynote speaker for the 11th annual YWHISPER Fundraising Gala, held at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre on March 8, 2023.

Gloria’s work has placed her on the frontlines of many high-profile cases impacting women. Over her 47-year career, Allred has taken on cases such as Jenna Talackova, the Canadian model who was ousted from the Miss Universe pageant for being transgender as well as helping Norma “Jane Roe” McCorvey become an abortion-rights icon in the historic Roe v. Wade case. Her illustrious reputation has made her a household name and Time Magazine once described her as “one of the nation’s most effective advocates of family rights and feminist causes.” Allred has also won countless awards for her legal work and in January 2021, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Lawyer Magazine.

“At a time where women’s rights are once again coming under fire and the clock seems to be turning backwards, a woman who has never been afraid to pull any punches felt like the right fit for our YWHISPER Gala, held on International Women’s Day” says Sue Tomney, CEO at YW Calgary. “Gloria embodies what is needed in a post Roe v. Wade world with her unending commitment to all women.”

The YWHISPER Gala is YW Calgary’s signature fundraiser that has been bringing impactful conversations to its audiences since 2011. Former keynote speakers have included Gloria Steinem, Naomi Judd, Terry Crews and Erin Brockovich, just to name a few. Funds raised from this highly anticipated event support YW Calgary’s programs and services that help more than 5,300 women and their families this past year.

Early bird tickets are now available online for a discounted price of $340. Ticket prices will increase on January 1, 2023. For more information on the YWHISPER Fundraising Gala and to purchase tickets, visit ywcalgary.ca/ywhisper.

For information and interview inquiries, please contact:

Carla Link

Director, Communications & Community Relations, YW Calgary

Phone: 587.228.8663| Email: clink@ywcalgary.ca