The 34th Annual Planned Parenthood Dallas Awards Honor Cecile Richards For Her Lifelong Advocacy of Women’s Rights

A breathtaking floral installation spelling out “hope” greeted the hundreds of guests who arrived at the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House for the 34th annual Planned Parenthood Awards.

From its first notes, a goosebump-inducing rendition of Sara Bareilles’ “Brave” by Audra Scott, to a record-breaking fundraising announcement that closed the event, the Planned Parenthood Awards steadfastly rooted their message in just that — hope. The event is the signature fundraiser for Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, which provides “healthcare from expert clinicians, medically accurate, inclusive sex education from professional educators, and an enduring commitment to restoring and expanding access to healthcare for the communities who need it most.”

The event honored Cecile Richards with the Planned Parenthood Gertrude Shelburne Humanitarian Award for her lifelong advocacy for women’s rights and social and economic justice. The daughter of former Texas Governor Ann Richards received the award from Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas President and CEO Ken Lambrecht. Ellen Richards was in attendance to accept on her sister’s behalf, as Cecile actively fights glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. In her remarks, Ellen Richards shared that, five days prior, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden called her sister, inviting her to the White House (on the same day as the Planned Parenthood Awards) for President Joe Biden to present her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The powerhouse trio of Jessica Bass Bolander, Missy Rogers Peck, and Abby Miller co-chaired the event. With those fearless leaders at the helm, a triumphant success felt inevitable. Guests in attendance (many in pink, of course) included Jennifer Karol, Selwyn Razor, Suzanne Perot McGee, Katherine Perot Reeves, Anne Clayton Vroom, Mary McDermott Cook, and Grace Cook.

Explaining her fervor for the cause, Bolander said, “When my grandmother came to America from Mexico as a teenager, she needed access to birth control. The Planned Parenthood in San Antonio is where she went for healthcare without judgment. Giving women control over their reproductive freedom is how you break generational poverty.”

Engaging in the dialogue, Dr. Austin Dennard, a Dallas obstetrician and gynecologist, told her story about fleeing Texas to receive medical care, a story that thrust Dennard into the national spotlight. Gloria Campos Brown moderated a conversation with Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, which has contributed more than $16 billion to international social justice philanthropies. Walker, too, underscored his sentiments with a message of hope.

Including two jaw-dropping gifts from foundations, the event raised a staggering $10 million for the Texas organization. With that support, the 85-year-old agency vowed to continue to deliver compassionate healthcare “to anyone who needs [it], no matter their income, insurance or immigration status, who they are, where they live, or who they love.”

As Bolander summarized, “Dallas has spoken. Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas is not going anywhere.”