Prominent women from across New Jersey and beyond gathered Sunday at Montclair State University to pay tribute to those who paved the way for them.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez hosted the 12th annual Evangelina Menendez Women's History Month Celebration and Trailblazer Awards, which honored New Jersey women who broke glass ceilings in their fields.

Menendez started the event to honor his late mother, who emigrated from Cuba.

"She set out as a refugee towards unknown shores in an uncertain future, arriving first in Puerto Rico, later New York City. I can't imagine the remarkable bravery she needed to start over again and come to a place she had never been," Menendez said.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton served as the event's keynote speaker.

"For every advance that we have made, and thank goodness they have been so quick and so positive over so many years, we are living now at a time when there is a concerted effort to push women aside," Clinton said.

Speakers stressed the work still needed to eradicate issues that heavily impact women, like equal pay, and celebrated recent accomplishments.

"It's because of so many of you and women like you that I entered Congress in the largest class of women. That has led to better addressing sexual assault and harassment in our military, bringing attention to the deficit in child care in our country, working in Congress to better implement the vision of Title 9, and to a focus on better health outcomes for women," said Rep. Mikie Sherrill.