PRESS RELEASE: SADIE NASH HONORS NEW YORK LIBERTY’S SHANA STEPHENSON AND ALUMNA RANA ABDELHAMID AT JOY & LIBERATION EVENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jasveen Kaur S. at: jasveen@sadienash.org
SADIE NASH HONORS NEW YORK LIBERTY’S SHANA STEPHENSON AND ALUMNA RANA ABDELHAMID AT JOY & LIBERATION EVENT
NEW YORK, NY, MAY 7, 2026 – Sadie Nash Leadership Project (SNLP) will host Joy & Liberation, its signature annual celebration, on June 3, 2026 at Ascent Lounge in Columbus Circle.
This year’s event will spotlight two powerful leaders shaping culture and community: Shana Stephenson, Chief Brand Officer of the New York Liberty, and Rana Abdelhamid, SNLP alumna, Executive Director of Malikah, 2025 David Prize recipient, and author of Get Home Safe.
As both Leadership Honoree and representative of this year’s Community Partner, the New York Liberty’s Shana Stephenson brings a bold vision for women’s sports, storytelling, and brand leadership. Under her leadership, the Liberty has become a defining force in the cultural rise of the WNBA, advancing visibility and investment in women athletes while building deep connections with communities across New York.
Rana Abdelhamid represents the long-term impact of Sadie Nash’s work. As the founder of Malikah, she has trained over 30,000 people worldwide and partnered with more than 800 organizations to advance safety, healing, and collective power. Her leadership reflects the very outcomes SNLP invests in: young people growing into changemakers who shape the world around them.
Additional honorees include:
Petticoat Award: Holly Sidford, former Sadie Nash Board Member
Community Partner: New York Liberty
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now through June 3.
Join us in celebrating leadership, investing in young people, and building a future rooted in joy and liberation. All funds raised support Sadie Nash’s programming to strengthen, empower, and equip young women and gender-expansive youth of color to be agents of change in their lives and the world.
About Sadie Nash Leadership Project
Sadie Nash Leadership Project partners with 600–700 young people annually across New York City and Newark, NJ through leadership programs that build confidence, critical thinking, and pathways to change. Our mission is to strengthen, empower, and equip young women and gender-expansive youth of color as agents for change in their lives and in the world.
Our programs deliver measurable results:
83% of participants leave with strong leadership confidence (vs. 30–50% nationally)
Participants see double-digit gains in civic engagement and social justice understanding
Over more than two decades, SNLP has reached 10,000+ young people, building a powerful network of leaders shaping their communities and beyond.
Our Awards include:
Brooklyn Community Foundation Spark Prize (2020)
Diane von Furstenberg People’s Voice Award Finalist (2017)
National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award presented by Former First Lady, Michelle Obama (2013)
Excellence in Summer Learning Award from the National Summer Learning Association (2010)
New York Times Gold Prize Winner for Overall Nonprofit Management Excellence (2010)
For more information, visit us at: www.sadienash.org | Instagram| Facebook | LinkedIn