Empowering Change: Highlights from the 2025 City Year Greater Boston Women’s Leadership Breakfast

On November 5, 2025, more than 400 leaders, changemakers, and champions for education gathered at the Westin Copley Place for the annual City Year Greater Boston Women’s Leadership Breakfast. The event celebrated the power of women supporting students, schools, and one another through mentorship, leadership, and service. 

 A Morning of Inspiration and Impact 

Hosted by City Year Greater Boston’s Women’s Leadership Network, the breakfast brought together professionals across sectors to raise critical funds that support AmeriCorps members serving in Boston and Medford Public Schools. 

WCVB’s Erika Tarantal emceed the event, which kicked off with remarks from City Year Greater Boston Executive Director Erika Alvarez Werner. 

Spotlight on Service and Leadership 

The program featured inspiring remarks from keynote speaker Cady Coleman, former NASA astronaut and retired United States Air Force colonel, who spoke about resilience, being a woman in a male-dominated field, and the power of community. Her message resonated deeply with the morning’s mission: empowering women to create lasting change through service and leadership. She shared the story of being encouraged by her space station commander, another female astronaut, to wear her hair down so that it was visible to young girls at home who might be watching, and see a role model for themselves in Cady.  

“Your jacket shows other people what kind of person you are. And it shows them the kind of person they can be, too.” – Cady Coleman

We also heard about the power of the City Year red jacket firsthand from AmeriCorps member Blessing Anoroh-Abraham and her student, Marvens. They answered questions like what the day-to-day looks like for a City Year AmeriCorps member in schools and how Blessing’s mentorship helped Marvens get closer to his goals of graduating and becoming a mechanical engineer.  

Community Support and Collective Action 

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, partners, and attendees, the breakfast raised more than $159,000 to support City Year’s programs in local public schools. These funds help ensure that AmeriCorps members continue providing academic support to thousands of students each year. Every day, City Year Greater Boston serves 10,000 students like Marvens, and it is critical to keep our work moving forward. 

Federal AmeriCorps funding is roughly 30% of City Year’s budget. We know federal funding is going to be volatile for the next several years, so philanthropic support is more vital than ever to meet the moment and respond with urgency and bold leadership. 

Looking Ahead 

The 2025 Women’s Leadership Breakfast is more than a fundraiser — it is a reminder of what’s possible when communities come together to lead with purpose and compassion. As City Year Greater Boston continues its mission to create positive and safe learning environments, consider supporting today through whether it be through donating, partnership, or joining upcoming events, such as the Investment Community Breakfast on December 9, 2025.