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Winner of the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund - November 18, 2008
Sandi Billings Honored with $5,000 Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund Award
November 18, 2008

Moscow, Idaho Resident Wins Cash Award To Empower Women Through Inspirational Radio Segments


(New York, NY, November 18, 2008) - Moscow, Idaho resident Sandi Billings, 47, is one step closer to fulfilling her dream of creating a better tomorrow for women throughout the country. Sandi was named this week’s winner of the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund, a weekly $5,000 cash award program from Avon Products, Inc. to support individuals in their work to empower women. She is the first recipient of a Hello Tomorrow Fund award in Idaho since the program launched in 2007, and was selected by an expanded panel of judges that now includes Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, and actress Phylicia Rashad. Sandi will use her award to produce a series of community radio segments produced by and geared towards women on Yin Radio, a program that Sandi created. Topics include those of personal power, sources of inspiration, and gender roles.

Many people, including Sandi, feel that women are often noticeably underrepresented in radio. A presence on the radio allows women to serve as role models, and enables them to reflect real women’s voices and interests in a public forum. This is not only validating for women, but also helps to build a stronger community and educates listeners. Studies reveal that women learn better through sharing experiences or anecdotal lessons, and communication through the radio is live and immediate, which, Sandi has observed, is a style that greatly appeals to women.

In an effort to recognize the different styles in which women communicate, Sandi began the weekly radio show, Yin Radio, in September 2006 on a local Moscow, Idaho community station. Since then, it has been syndicated on two other community stations. She is the host of the show, which includes presenting stories of, by and about women from the community, and each show has its own theme. “My vision is to provide Yin Radio with more themes and better stories,” says Sandi. “I believe media can be used to empower women and improve society by instilling appreciation of women’s voices and values, creating a more balanced and equitable society,” she says.

Yin Radio reaches approximately 1,200 listeners in Moscow, Idaho (Radio Free Moscow, KRFP 92.5FM); Johnson City, Tennessee (The Detour, WETX 105.3FM); and Spokane, Washington (Thin Air Radio, KYRS 92.3FM and 89.9FM). With the help of the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund, Sandi can expand her audience reach and bring more in-depth stories to the show. Sandi will have the opportunity to liaise with such organizations as the Idaho Women’s Network in order to gain access to appropriate resources. She will place open calls to writers, local producers, and the community at large to submit story ideas. The Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund will assist Sandi in the process of producing her radio show, including funding for staff, equipment such as microphones and digital recorders, and some travel expenses for guest interviews. Thanks to these resources, Sandi will be able to produce pieces of a caliber that can be offered for syndication and achieve a greater audience reach. “These stories will directly impact female listeners by providing role models and new ways of seeing themselves, and will impact the storytellers by confirming the value of their stories,” Sandi says. Thanks to the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund, she will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of women in her community and even further beyond.

Sandi’s winning application to the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund met the criteria of clearly presenting unique and achievable objectives to empower women or girls and ultimately improve society. It was selected from a pool of strong contenders by an expert panel of judges, including personal finance expert Suze Orman, actress Phylicia Rashad, Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, and experts in business and grantmaking. “I was inspired by this innovative proposal to expand the role and presence of women on local and regional radio stations,” commented judge Anne Dowling on Sandi’s proposal. “Sandi has presented an excellent, well-reasoned plan that can make it happen.”

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