Chicago Federation of Labor

Each year, the CFL recognizes and celebrates the important contributions of women to the Chicago labor movement by awarding the Rosetta Daylie Woman of the Year and the Addie Wyatt Emerging Leader awards to two outstanding women.

We are proud to recognize Debra Simmons-Peterson (Teamsters Local 743) as the 2026 Rosetta Daylie Woman of the Year and Carolyn Hoza (Plumbers Local 130) as the 2026 Addie Wyatt Emerging Leader.

The Rosetta Daylie Woman of the Year recognizes women who have fought vigorously for social and economic justice in the workplace, striving for equity and fairness. The Addie Wyatt Emerging Leader celebrates the significant contributions rank-and-file women are making to the labor movement.

Nominations for the 2027 awards will be accepted until Oct. 15, 2026. To nominate a deserving woman, complete the CFL’s nomination form. To qualify for consideration, nominees must be in good standing of a CFL-affiliated union. This means they are an active member or part of the union’s retiree program. Please note: nominations are considered in the year they are submitted. If you submitted a woman in a previous year, you would need to submit the name again for consideration this year.

History of the Rosetta Daylie Woman of the Year Award

Since 1982, the CFL recognizes and celebrates the important contributions of women to the Chicago labor movement by awarding the Rosetta Daylie Woman of the Year award annually. The award honors women who have fought vigorously for social and economic justice in the workplace, striving for equity and fairness. The award is named for longtime CFL Delegate and current CFL First Vice President Rosetta Daylie to honor her seven decades of work in the Chicago labor movement. Rosetta Daylie was the first African American woman to serve on the CFL Executive Board.

History of the Addie Wyatt Emerging Leader Award

The CFL introduced the Addie Wyatt Emerging Leader Award in 2026 to celebrate the significant contributions rank-and-file women are making to the labor movement. The award is named for Addie Wyatt, a labor and civil rights leader from Chicago. She was the first African American woman elected International Vice President of a major labor union, the Amalgamated Meat Cutters Union.

Past Recipients