2018 Gala Dinner Highlights

Distinguished Speakers

2018 Gala Speakers, Union, Washington, Brewer, Pozen, Sandberg, Ness

Gabrielle Union, Distinguished Honoree
Kerry Washington, Distinguished Honoree
Rosalind Brewer, Corporate Leader
Sharis Pozen, National Partnership Board Vice Chair
Sheryl Sandberg, Keynote Speaker
Debra Ness, National Partnership President

Video Highlights

Event Photos

2018 Gala Dinner Group

Corporate Partner Rosalind Brewer, Distinguished Honoree Gabrielle Union, Keynote
Speaker Sheryl Sandberg, National Partnership Advisor Judy Lichtman, National Partnership
Board Vice Chair Sharis Pozen and National Partnership President Debra Ness

2018 Gala Dinner Crowd

National Partnership's 2018 Gala Dinner

2018 Gala Dinner, Debra Ness and Kerry Washington

National Partnership President Debra Ness and Distinguished Honoree Kerry Washington

2018 Gala Dinner, Sheryl Sandberg

Keynote Speaker Sheryl Sandberg

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Social Highlights

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2018 Gala Dinner TapSnap

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Event Quotes

"We deserve access to quality, affordable health care, and control over our own bodies. We deserve safety and equality and a fair democracy and full rights of citizenship. But all of that is under threat right now. The current administration is an important reminder that progress can be undone, but, as the National Partnership’s 47-year history demonstrates, the challenges we’re facing predate this administration and persist whether the people in office consider themselves our allies or not. We have to protect the progress we’ve made, even as we fight for more."
— Kerry Washington, Award-Winning Actor, Producer and Social Justice Activist

"Through the battles you’ve waged and won, you’ve established the principle that everyone’s labor should be valued, everyone’s health matters, everyone’s safety and dignity is important. Everyone means everyone. All genders, races, income levels, races, ethnicities and abilities. Everyone deserves health care. Everyone deserves sick leave. Everyone deserves a safe workplace. And everyone deserves a more just and equal world."
— Sheryl Sandberg, Founder of LeanIn.Org and OptionB.Org, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook

"Are we really asking ourselves the tough questions, and doing the internal work necessary, to ensure safe, productive, inclusive, happy, equitable workplaces? I know I have a lot of work to do. … I’m asking for help. I am leaning in so much, I might fall over. I hope somebody catches me."
— Gabrielle Union, Celebrated Actor, Producer, Author, Entrepreneur and Women's Rights Advocate

"You envisioned a new kind of workplace that recognized individuals who work and try to balance a family and all of those responsibilities, and you fought to make that workplace a reality for all of us. I’m personally grateful. You did that for me."
— Rosalind Brewer, Group President, Americas and Chief Operating Officer Starbucks Coffee Company

"These times are truly testing us. They conjure up some of the darkest moments in our history. But what is imperative to remember is that what ultimately defines our country going forward is not [the Trump administration’s] shameful actions, it’s how we react to them. The future will be determined by whether we step up and fight back, or whether we put our heads down and wait for the horrors to pass."
— Debra Ness, National Partnership President

Event Video

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