Their work blazed a path for others to follow, with their heads held just as high. Their commitment serves as a lesson for current and future generations. Five of Sacramento's most distinguished women will take center stage at this year's Capital City Black Expo, to receive much deserved recognition at the 2008 "Women of Inspiration Awards."

The honors will come during a special luncheon set for noon Saturday, March 29, 2008, hosted by The OBSERVER Media Group, publishers of the Sacramento OBSERVER, at the Sacramento Convention Center.

The annual "Women of Inspiration" Luncheon is a part of Black Expo take place at 12 noon on Saturday, March 29.

State Farm is the presenting sponsor of the Women of Inspiration Awards.

The 2008 honorees are Ann Hill, Edith Roberts, Windie O. Scott, Cordia Wade and Irene B. West.

Here are brief descriptions of the five outstanding women:

ANN HILL
PROMINENT BUSINESS LEADER

Ms. Hill embraces the African American entrepreneurial spirit, as the owner of not one, but three thriving businesses. In Oak Park she operates the Broadway Soul Food Restaurant and Ann Hill Bail Bonds and at the Sacramento International Airport, she quenches travelers' thirsts with a Java City franchise.

Ms. Hill started her early career as a n Alameda county Deputy Sheriff. While with the Sheriff's Department, she was instrumental in organizing a Black Police Association locally and nationally.

EDITH ROBERTS
TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, INC. ADVOCATE

A native of West Virginia, Ms. Roberts currently acts as a historian for the George "Spanky" Roberts Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., which bears the name of her late husband. Ms. Roberts keeps the pioneering pilots' legacy alive with informative presentations that often include surviving Tuskegee Airmen as examples of "living history." She has traveled the country making presentations and guest appearances at schools, and special events in an effort to preserve the very important memory and accomplishments of the Tuskegee airmen. She recently traveled to the nation's capital to see the Tuskegee Airmen receive a Congressional Medal of Honor from President George W. Bush.

WINDIE SCOTT
TRAILBLAZING PUBLIC ATTORNEY

Currently senior tax counsel at the State Board of Equalization, Ms. Scott is often credited for her efforts to mentor and find employment opportunities for up and coming lawyers, particularly those of color. The UC Davis graduate has been named a past Lawyer of the Year by the Sacramento County Bar Association and recently acted as Deputy State Controller under the former State Controller Steve Westly. She has served as chief counsel for a number of California's state government agencies and departments. She is the first Black to be elected president of the Women Lawyers of Sacramento and the first Black woman to be elected president of the Sacramento County Bar Association.

CORDIA WADE
RETIRED PROFESSOR

While technically a retired college professor, Ms. Wade is one of Sacramento's most active elders. A tireless advocate for healthy aging, she sits on a number of committees and commissions dedicated to setting policies, establishing programs and planning events such as the annual Northern California Healthy Aging Summit that addresses myriad topics ranging from mental health to preventing elder abuse. While at American River College, Ms. Wade actually developed a course in Human Services and the social aspects of aging.

IRENE WEST
DISTINGUISHED EDUCATOR

Ms. West was the first African American woman to serve as principal in the Elk Grove Unified School District. Decades later the district honored her continued contributions to students by naming a new elementary school after her. She was the first African American to be bestowed with that honor. Starting as a school teacher, Ms. West passed her passion for education on to all of her four children, including Dr. Cornel West, a Princeton University professor and the author of "Race Matters."

In keeping with the theme of Women of Inspiration, New York-based writers Dawn Marie Daniels and Candace Sandy will act as guest speakers for the luncheon. Ms. Daniels and Ms. Sandy are co-authors of the best-selling "Souls of My Sisters" book series. The series includes titles such as "Souls Of My Sisters: Black Women Break Their Silence, Tell Their Stories and Heal Their Spirits" and the newly released "Souls Revealed: A Souls of My Sisters Book of Revelations and Tools for Healing Your Spirit, Soul and Life." The pair has also taken on the male emotions with "Souls of My Brothers: Black Men Break Their Silence, Tell Their Truths and Heal Our Spirits."

New this year will be the pairing of honorees during the luncheon with local African American girls between the ages of 14 and 17, in an effort to inspire them and motivate them to pursue their own purpose-driven lives. Some will come from the Birthing Project's Alice Lytle Academy of Dreams, named after a former Women of Inspiration Award winner.

Since the honor's inception in 2002, the Observer Media Group has named 35 Women of Inspiration. Past recipients have represented all walks of African American life from politics and civic service to sports, medicine and grassroots organizing.

They have included retired judge Alice Lytle, educator Mertie Shelby, Del Paso Heights humanitarian Mary Watts, mental health advocate Edwina Leon, former Sacramento Monarch and youth mentor Ruthie Bolton, late senior advocate Lula Jones and Dr. Beverly Scott, the first African American to serve as general manager of Sacramento Regional Transit.

For more information, call (916) 452-4781 or visit www.sacblackexpo.com.