State Sen. Ben Allen Honors Amy Ziering as Woman of the Year

Every year, in a tradition dating back to 1987, the California State Senate celebrates Women's History Month by recognizing remarkable women throughout the state who make a positive difference in their communities. On Friday, May 27th, more than 200 community members joined Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica) at the historic Santa Monica Bay Woman's Club as he honored Amy Ziering as this year's Senate District 26 Woman of the Year.

"I congratulate Ms. Ziering on this honor which recognizes both her courageous work as the producer of The Invisible War and The Hunting Ground and her tenacious leadership in spurring national policy change around sexual assault. Ms. Ziering is an inspiring example of the impact one person can have on a seemingly intractable issue," said Senator Allen.

During the reception's program, Kirby Dick, the award-winning director of The Invisible War and The Hunting Ground, introduced excerpts from the documentaries and praised Ms. Ziering as "the best documentary producer there is."

Ms. Ziering, upon accepting her Senate Resolution, thanked Senator Allen for the honor and for creating a space to celebrate women. In her remarks, Ms. Ziering shared how her father's experience as a Holocaust survivor helped motivate her passion for telling "the stories of the unheard." Her moving anecdotes of interviews with survivors of sexual assault and her message of the transformative power of listening left many of the audience members in tears and prompted a standing ovation.