Academy Award-winning actor and activist Geena Davis to speak at Fund for Women and Girls luncheon April 9

NORWALK—Academy Award-winning actor and activist Geena Davis will be the keynote speaker at Fairfield County’s Community Foundation’s Fund for Women and Girls annual luncheon on April 9 at the Hyatt Regency in Greenwich.

In addition to Ms. Davis, two young women will briefly speak: Corinne Wilklow, 15, a young scientist who wants to become an astronaut, and Eloisa Melendez, 21, a councilwoman for the City of Norwalk and the nation’s youngest Hispanic elected to public office.

Geena Davis is the founder of the nonprofit Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. The Institute is the only research-based organization working within the media and entertainment industry to engage, educate, and influence the need to dramatically improve gender balance, reduce stereotyping and create diverse female characters in entertainment targeting children 11 and under.

Ms. Davis is also a chair to the California Commission on the Status of Women, and is a partner with UN Women in the effort to change the way media represents women and girls worldwide. She is currently the Special Envoy for Women and Girls in the field of technology for the United Nations.

In her acting career, Ms. Davis has appeared in several roles that became cultural landmarks. Earning the 2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama, Davis broke ground in her portrayal of the first female President of the United States in ABC’s hit show Commander in Chief.

In 1989, she received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the offbeat dog trainer Muriel Pritchett in Lawrence Kasdan’s The Accidental Tourist. She was again nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her performance as Thelma in Ridley Scott’s Thelma and Louise, in which she co-starred with Susan Sarandon. Davis went on to receive a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of baseball phenomenon Dottie Hinson in A League of Their Own.

Ms. Davis is a world-class athlete (at one time the nation’s 13th-ranked archer), and member of the genius society Mensa. She holds honorary degrees from Boston University, Bates College and New England College.

Tickets begin at $275, tables begin at $2,750 and can be purchased online at FCCFoundation.org, by email at FWGevents@FCCFoundation.org or by phone at 203.750.3223.

Since its founding in 1998 by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation and a small group of women, the Fund for Women and Girls has awarded more than $4 million in grants to benefit over 4,000 Fairfield County girls and women ages five to 90. Its recent research report “The Full Circle of Women and Girls in Fairfield County” provides an unvarnished look at the diverse challenges faced by women and girls in our communities. It can be downloaded at FCCFoundation.org.

Fairfield County’s Community Foundation promotes philanthropy as a means to create change in Fairfield County, focusing on innovative and collaborative solutions to critical issues impacting the community. Individuals, families, corporations and organizations can establish charitable funds or contribute to existing funds. The Community Foundation is in compliance with the Council on Foundations’ national standards, and has awarded $180 million in grants to nonprofits in Fairfield County and beyond. For more information, visit FCCFoundation.org.