Upper East Side, Manhattan – On Friday, March 18, 2016 residents of the Upper East Side, Yorkville and Roosevelt Island, along with Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney attended the Second Annual Women of Distinction Awards ceremony at the community office of Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright honoring six local women for their outstanding work and dedication to the community.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney along with Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright presented the awards and spoke to the accomplishments of women in history and the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment in Congress. Recipients of the Women of Distinction Award included Loraine Brown, Alice Heyman, Zoe Markowitz, Margie Smith, Ellen Polivy and Eileen Toback.

Loraine Brown is a member of Community Board 8, where she serves as co-chair of the Housing committee. Notably, Loraine is working with the White House’s Leadership Council to address “Prison Sentencing Reform.”

Alice Heyman is best known as the founder of the First Women’s Bank. She has dedicated her life to women empowerment and volunteerism with organizations like the East Sixties Neighborhood Association Citizen Response Team.

Zoe Markowitz is the youngest member of Community Board 8, where she serves on the Land Use and Youth and Education Committees. Zoe has also worked with US Senator Charles Schumer and advocates for seniors on the DOROT Next Generation Teen Council.

Margie Smith is a lifetime New Yorker and longtime Roosevelt Island resident. A true advocate for Roosevelt Island, Margie is Chair of the Governance Advisory Committee and a member of the Operations Committee of RIOC. Currently, she is also the Director of Administration for one of the largest brand licensing companies in the world.

Ellen Polivy is a social worker and Roosevelt Island resident. Ellen is an activist on Community Board 8, serving as a host on CB8 Speaks. Ellen is an activist in her own community as co-chair of Roosevelt Island Community Coalition and former president of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association. Additionally, she is an advocate for the elderly, sitting on the board of Bird S. Coler chronic care hospital, and in her own personal geriatric care management practice.

Eileen Toback is a labor advocate, coalition leader and campaign organizer, currently serving as executive director of the New York Professional Nurses Union, advocating for safe staffing of nurses and quality patient care.

“It is important to recognize the women who paved the way,” Assembly Member Seawright said in her remarks. “We stand taller because we stand on the shoulders of the women who came before us, and they deserve to be recognized here today.”