© 2026 WFAE

Mailing Address:
WFAE 90.7
P.O. Box 896890
Charlotte, NC 28289-6890
Tax ID: 56-1803808
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Sil Ganzó is first Latina named Charlotte Woman of the Year

Sil Ganzó is the founder of ourBRIDGE for KIDS.
Courtesy
Sil Ganzó is the founder of ourBRIDGE for KIDS.

Sil Ganzó, founder of ourBRIDGE for KIDS, was named Charlotte’s 2025 Woman of the Year.

The annual award recognizes women who have shown outstanding civic leadership and service in the Charlotte community.

ourBRIDGE for KIDS is a nonprofit that supports immigrant and refugee children and families. The organization serves more than 250 students, with 80% showing academic growth and increased engagement in learning.

Last year, Ganzó helped coordinate food delivery, school transportation and medical support for families during Border Patrol’s operation in Charlotte. She also played a key role in opening the Charlotte Is Home Center, a resource hub for underserved communities in east Charlotte.

Ganzó, who is originally from Argentina, is the first Latina to receive the award.

Julian Berger is a Race & Equity Reporter at WFAE, Charlotte’s NPR affiliate. His reporting focuses on Charlotte's Latino community and immigration policy. He is an award-winning journalist who received the 2025 RTDNAC Award for an economic story examining how fears of immigration enforcement affected Latino-owned businesses in Charlotte.