DVF Awards Winners Announced, Oprah Winfrey Receives Leadership Award

Diane Von Furstenberg announces the recipients of The Third Annual DVF Awards, honoring five women who have demonstrated leadership, strength and courage in their respective fields. The awards will be presented in a ceremony on the evening of Friday, March 9th during Newsweek & The Daily Beast's Women in the World Summit held March 8-10 at Lincoln Center.

The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation will present the Inspiration Award to Jaycee Dugard in recognition of her advocacy for families that have suffered a familial or non-familial abduction or other trauma.

The recipient of the People's Voice Award, as determined by the public through popular vote on DVFAwards.com, will be Layli Miller-Muro for her work on behalf of Tahirih Justice Center, a nonprofit organization that protects immigrant women and girls through legal services, advocacy, and public education programs.

Ms. Dugard and Ms. Miller-Muro will join two honorees from the Vital Voices Network, Panmela Castro and Chouchou Namegabe. Ms. Castro is a Brazilian based multi-media artist and founder of Rede Nami, a network of female graffiti artists that works to empower women through public art. Ms. Namegabe is a journalist in the South Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and founder of the South Kivu's Association of Women Journalists (Association des Femmes des Medias du Sud Kivu), which is working to bring the plight of Congolese women to an international stage.

"It is with great pride that we honor these remarkable women with an award of recognition and support," says Diane Von Furstenberg. "Each winner has shown unparalleled courage and leadership, inspiring women all over the world."

Winners of The DVF Awards will each receive $50,000 in support of their organization and continued efforts in public service.

The DVF Awards will also honor Oprah Winfrey with the Lifetime Leadership Award. This special award recognizes an individual who has dedicated her entire life and body of work to instilling in other women the courage to fight, the power to survive and the leadership to inspire.

Created in partnership with The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, The DVF Awards aim to recognize and honor extraordinary women leaders who are making a difference on both local and global scales.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos