Falls Church’s second annual Women’s History Walk has announced the following individuals to serve as honorees.

For their contributions to making lives better in the Falls Church region, the honorees are Jane Dexter, School Board member, and leader of Citizens for a Better City (CBC) and League of Women Voters (LWV); Edna Frady, former chair of Falls Church Democratic Party and Chamber of Commerce member; Hilda Hicks, longtime crossing guard at James Lee School; Cathy Kaye, former Falls Church Treasurer; Leah Porzell, one of the founders of Aurora House, also a president of Falls Church AAUW and a Girl Scout leader; Fran Richardson, a world traveler, writer and leader of CBC, AAUW, LWV and YWCA; Marian Costner Selby, the first African American student to graduate from George Mason High School; Harolyn Smith, a leader of the James Lee Community, working to promote voter registration and Cay Wiant, beloved English teacher at George Mason Middle School.

For their work to preserve the history of Falls Church institutions, six women will be recognized as “History Keepers.” Tanya Gaskins Hardy, who has preserved and shared the history of Galloway United Methodist Church; Sue Thackrey, who has created an historic archive of The Falls Church Episcopal; For their work in saving Cherry Hill Farmhouse and Barn as a museum: Ruby Bolster, Merelyn Kaye, Mary Madeline King, Mildred Pope.

The walk will recognize four women as Modern Voices. These women are taking action right now to make the world a better place. Carol Luten for her persistence in getting Virginia to pass a new license plate “Stop Gun Violence;” Theresa Sullivan Twiford, for her brave revelation about assault, leading to the resignation of a Wyoming politician; Andrea Brown, for leadership in facilitating conversations about racial social justice at Falls Church Presbyterian Church and in the community and City of Falls Church Police Chief Mary Gavin, who has been a local, regional and national advocate for community policing.
Teenagers will be recognized for their leadership as “Youth in Action.” They are: Giancarla Rojas, a DREAMER who filed a lawsuit to be eligible for instate tuition at GMU and Diamond Williams, a student at George Mason High School who started the Freedom Project Club to raise awareness of human trafficking.

The walk will take place this Sunday, March 18 at 4 p.m. and begin at the Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church) until reaching its final destination point at the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation.

For more information, contact Marybeth Connelly at mbdoncon@gmail.com.