The New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation (NOMAF)–the non-profit organization that supports and aids the mission of the New Orleans Musicians Clinic of providing cost-efficient health-care, wellness education and mental health services for musicians–has two of its team members competing in the Cinderella to CEO awards, held at the JW Marriott Essex House in New York City on Thursday, August 8. 

The C2CEO award ceremony and networking event will include a three-course luncheon, inspirational speakers/entertainment and the presentation of all event finalists. Celebrating both nationally known and newly discovered women, the event will focus on modern tales of transformation and changing the world for the better. There were over 200 women nominated for the awards. During the event the audience will vote, and one of the nine category winners will receive the Cinderella to CEO of the year award.

One of the NOMAF women nominated for the award, Latonia Smith was born in Macon, MS, where she was raised as a boy, until she reached puberty and found the courage to escape. After a 15 year struggle with homelessness, substance abuse and earning her living as a sex worker, Smith moved to New Orleans where she could start over, eventually becoming a motivational speaker, a trans advocate and artist. During the day Smith gives counseling at Brotherhood Inc., and at night she performs as one of the city’s leading illusionists, under her stage name, LaTonia Dupre Black.

Katherine Klimitas–a NOMAF team member, a graphic designer and artist–is also nominated for the award. When Klimitas was born, because of a genetic bone disease named Osteogenesis Imperfecta, doctors didn’t believe she’d survive past the age of two, but defying the odds, Klimitas is 30 now with artistic ambitions and dreams of entrepreneurship. She’s grown comfortable with sharing her experience of disability with others. Klimitas graduated from Loyola University with a BA in graphic design, and she currently runs her own art and design business, producing all graphic art, digital and print graphics for NOMAF.

Tickets for the awards luncheon range from $250 to $10,000. For more information about the luncheon or ticket availability, visit the C2Ceo website, or visit the luncheon’s eventbrite page, here.

For more information on the New Orleans Musicians Clinic and its Foundation, click here.