Results tagged ‘ Jean Afterman ’
Women empowering women at Stadium
The women of Yankee Stadium joined forces with Same Sky to honor the HIV-positive women artisans who have hand-crafted bracelets through its trade-not-aid initiative to affect change in Rwanda.
Founded in 2008, Same Sky is a fair-trade company whose mission is to inspire a movement of women empowering women as part of the global effort of lifting women out of poverty by giving them tools to become entrepreneurs and lead self-sustaining lives. The bracelets are made of hand-blown glass beads and crocheted by women artisans. Each bracelet carries the signature of the woman who made it.
Thanks to the women of Yankee Stadium, Same Sky expanded its facilities in Rwanda and now embraces the women of the Abataka Collective in Lusaka, Zambia. The new lighter, thinner Prosperity bracelets are intricately crocheted and made of delicate seed beads on a stretchy cord.
Friday night’s event in the H&R Block Suite Club was hosted by Safe Sky founder Francine LeFrak, Yankees assistant general manager Jean Afterman and Mindy Franklin Levine of Women of the New York Yankees organization, Legends Hospitality, the YES Network and Securitas to bring awareness to this cause.
“The Yankees’ brand is a global brand,” Ackerman said. “We can bring attention to this effort. We don’t think of it as a traditional fund-raiser. The goal is for this program to be self-sustaining. It’s great to see [team president] Randy Levine and [general manager] Brian Cashman wearing the colored bracelets.”
Funds collected from the sale of the bracelets are used to pay the salaries of the women who make them, which rose in one year from 34 to 75. More information about the movement is available at http://www.samesky.com.
Yankees Magazine edition dedicated to women
The professional sports world in America has not been a men-only province for a long time as the current issue of Yankees Magazine that goes on sale Tuesday will attest. The club’s flagship journal is the first team publication in American professional sports to dedicate an entire issue to women.
Yankees fans will get an up-close look at the females in the organization and those pioneers in baseball and other sports that have changed the landscape of the industry.
The cover of the issue features a photograph of Joan Steinbrenner, widow of the late George M. Steinbrenner III; Yankees vice chairperson Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal; vice chairperson Jessica Steinbrenner and Christina Steinbrenner, wife of Yankees co-chairperson Hal Steinbrenner. The edition includes a feature story about the philanthropic work of the Steinbrenner family and the charitable endeavors of several Yankees players’ wives.
“Where else but with the New York Yankees do you have the opportunity to create history on any given day,” team vice president and assistant general manager Jean Afterman said. “I am proud to participate in the first-ever professional sports team magazine devoted to women. It’s great to be a Yankee every day, and on the day that this issue goes to print, the Yankees will again prove how historic this organization is.”
Jean is among the women featured in the magazine, along with Yankees senior vice president of marketing Deborah Tymon, plus such female icons as tennis legend Billie Jean King, softball pitcher Jennie Finch and soccer star Mia Hamm, among others. Yankees fans who listen to radio voice Suzyn Waldman on WCBS-880AM and watch clubhouse/on-field reporter Kimberly Jones and studio host/Yankees Magazine moderator Nancy Newman on the YES Network will get the chance to know them better. Also featured is a look at the office women behind the scenes who have been fixtures in the organization for more than three decades.
“We are excited to launch such a unique issue of Yankees Magazine, and one that celebrates the contributions of women throughout the sports world,” Yankees director of publications Alfred Santasiere III said. “The Women’s Issue is certain to be a keepsake to Yankees fans and sports fans because it is the first of its kind.”
Yankees Magazine, which has served as the team’s game-day program since its inception in 1980, is available at Yankee Stadium, through 800-GO-YANKS or online at http://www.yankees.com/publications.
YU members enjoy special event
More than 400 Yankees Universe members of the Champion and MVP levels attended a special event in the Great Hall at Yankee Stadium Tuesday and got a chance to meet general manager Brian Cashman and other Yankees celebrities.
Cashman was joined by former Yankees stars Jeff Nelson and Charlie Hayes, assistant general manager Jean Afterman, YES Network analyst John Flaherty and WCBS radio announcer Suzyn Waldman for the 90-minute autograph and photo session.
It was the first of four events scheduled for this season. The others will be Aug. 23, Aug. 24 and Sept. 6. Events are open to Yankees Universe members on the MVP and Champion levels.
Get in there and hack
Want a shot at stepping up to the plate at Yankee Stadium and taking your hacks just like Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Jorge Posada, Nick Swisher and the other Yankees? Of course, you do.
Yankees Universe members now have the exclusive opportunity to enter a contest to win the change to take batting practice at Yankee Stadium July 31. The occasion will include food, drinks, a tour of the Stadium including a visit to Monument Park and an audience with former Yankees stars.
All that is required is to submit an original photo of you as the “most enthusiastic fan” by 12 noon, EDT, July 24. Judges will select the most compelling submission based upon criteria set forth in the judging section of the official rules. For more information, members may log on to the Yankees Universe members-only page on Yankees.com.
Good luck to all.
Congratulations are in order for Yankees vice president and assistant general manager Jean Afterman, who was honored Wednesday as a Women in Sports and Entertainment “Woman of the Year” at the organization’s annual luncheon. Founded in 1993, WISE, as it is known, honors and recognizes accomplished women in the sports and special events business, celebrating their contributions to the respective organizations and the industry at large. Jean is in her ninth season with the Yankees and has been a key figure in the club’s expanded cultivation of relationships in Asia.
Yankees women get involved
Yankee Stadium may seem an odd place to hold a reception for a support group honoring the survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide until you hear Agnes Gasana speak about the Yankees.
“Of course, we know who they are,” she said. “My boys are Yankees fans. It’s a global team. My daughter now has a Yankees t-shirt.”
She is the wife of Eugene-Richard Gasana, the Rwandan Ambassador to the United Nations. Son Ivan Kagame was with her Wednesday evening in the H&R Block Lounge on the Suite Level where the women of Yankee Stadium joined forces with Same Sky to honor the HIV-positive women artisans who have hand-crafted bracelets through its trade-not-aid initiative to affect change in Rwanda.
“It’s great to showcase our cause to the world and help support the organization,” Kagame said. “It gives us some dignity and show that we are working toward something. Everybody watches the Yankees.”
Founded in 2008, Same Sky is a fair-trade company whose mission is to inspire a movement of women empowering women as part of the global effort of lifting women out of poverty by giving them tools to become entrepreneurs and lead self-sustaining lives. The bracelets are made of hand-blown glass beads and crocheted by women artisans. Each bracelet carries the signature of the woman who made it.
The event was hosted by Safe Sky founder Francine LeFrak, Yankees assistant general manager Jean Afterman, Mindy Franklin Levine and Sadye Zillo of Women of the New York Yankees organization, Legends Hospitality, the YES Network and Securitas to bring awareness to this cause. This was not some old-fashioned Ladies Day turnout.
“The Yankees’ brand is a global brand,” Ackerman said. “We can bring attention to this effort. We don’t think of it as a traditional fund-raiser. The goal is for this program to be self-sustaining. It’s great to see [team president] Randy Levine and [general manager] Brian Cashman wearing the colored bracelets. The organization brought some black bracelets for the men. It’s good to see them come out of their shell.”
“This is a dream come true,” LeFrak said. “It is our mission at Same Sky to give our artisans the freedom to make these choices. We aim to provide these women with a reliable income that will lead to independence, economic empowerment and hope for a better future. This is about empowering women. The women with the Yankees are all about empowerment.”
“That comes from Mr. [George] Steinbrenner,” Afterman said. “He used to tell people that he was a sexist, yet he was always interesting in hiring the best people, many of whom were women. When I first came here, I was really impressed with how many women were in key positions.”
Many of those women were proudly displaying bracelets Wednesday night. More information about the movement is available at http://www.samesky.com.
Jack O'Connell
Recent Comments