Norwood League of Women Voters Honors 2026 Scholarship Winner Joann Yamoah

Beyond Norwood, Joann has been a powerful advocate for health equity at the Massachusetts Statehouse through MassCALL3 and championed gender equity as a member of the Plan International USA Youth Advisory Board. She was also one of only 26 youth selected nationwide for the Citizen University Youth Collaboratory and participated in the highly competitive Civics Unplugged Fellowship.

In her scholarship essay, Joann shared how her grandmother’s stories of Ghana’s fight for independence in 1957 inspired her passion for advocacy. She noted that "change happens when ordinary people refuse to stay silent," a lesson she has carried into her own work. Joann believes that democracy is not something inherited passively, but something "We sustain through participation, courage, and responsibility."

The selection committee was also impressed by Joann’s perspective on political polarization. She identified the tendency for people to stop listening to one another as a major civic challenge, advocating instead for meaningful conversation across disagreements. "The future of our democracy depends on our willingness to listen, even when conversations are uncomfortable," she wrote.

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The scholarship honors the legacy of Margery McKenna, a foundational member of the Norwood League who served as a Town Meeting member for over 40 years and on the School Committee for 18 years. Joann’s dedication to her community and her commitment to the youth voice truly embody the ideals that Mardie championed throughout her life.