Women's Voices Raised

Freedom to Vote Act: Contact Your Senators to Ensure Voting Rights

The Freedom to Vote Act, a transformative bill recently introduced in the U.S. Senate, shows our voices have an impact. This important legislation will protect our right to vote, end partisan gerrymandering, counter undemocratic and dangerous election sabotage efforts, and help eliminate the undue influence of dark money in our elections.

Contact your senators at 1-888-453-3211 and tell them to support the Freedom to Vote Act! Read more & get talking points here.

Help Stop the Spread of False and Deceptive Messages

To respond to the growing dangers of deceptive information, Women’s Voices is calling on you to educate your community about countering disinformation, and we have created the tools to help you do that: greeting cards and door hangers to distribute to family, friends, and neighbors. Read more and sign up here.

Defend Access to Abortion Care

The Women's Health Protection Act would provide a nationwide safeguard against abortion bans and medically unnecessary restrictions that push abortion care out of reach. It would protect the constitutional rights of all people, no matter where they live.
Send a message to your representative urging them to vote “yes” on WHPA.

Cathy Gilbert Reminds St. Louis Area Free Gun Locks Available

KSDK interviewed Women’s Voices member Cathy Gilbert after the fatal shooting of a man by his two-year-old son, with a rifle that was loaded and not locked. Cathy explained that unintentional shootings in homes are entirely preventable if firearms are securely stored: locked and unloaded. Watch Cathy’s interview here.

Building Community Through the Arts

At our virtual November 8 Lunch and Learn, Adam Flores of the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival and Aaron Williams of 4theVille described how their organizations are restoring The Ville and Sumner High School. With their focus on the arts, they have brought together many organizations and community members. They suggested how we can support their goal to reach out to broad, diverse audiences: tour The Ville; attend arts events there, and look for opportunities to help revitalize this historic neighborhood that has been home to many notable St. Louisans such as Chuck Berry, Josephine Baker, and Grace Bumbry, as well as Black doctors, educators, and entrepreneurs. Click here for full report. Read the summary here.

Voter Sabotage: Will YOU Be Able to Vote?

At the November Women's Voices program, speakers Denise Lieberman and Mo Del Villar outlined voter sabotage efforts happening in MO and nationwide; laid out the protections outlined in the Freedom to Vote Act and provided suggestions for how we can advocate for its passage. Read the summary here or watch the recorded version here.

A Look at the Local Landscape for Affordable Housing

At the September Lunch & Learn, Shannon Koenig, executive director of the St. Louis County Housing Authority, explained the role of governments in providing affordable housing for cost-burdened households—those who spend more than 30% of income on housing. She said one in four households in St. Louis County is cost burdened, which means they have less money for other needs such as food and health care. Koenig offered suggestions on how Women's Voices members can work to expand affordable housing availability.

Read the summary, view the slides or watch the recorded version.

Women's Voices Takes Affordable Housing Advocacy to St. Louis County

On September 29, Barbara Harris, co-chair of the Racial Justice Committee (RJC), and Liz Sondhaus, co-chair of the RJC’s Affordable Housing Task Force, provided a PowerPoint presentation to the St. Louis County Equity Commission highlighting the challenges of finding affordable housing in the Central Corridor and offering our ideas to address this important community issue. Read more here.

Women's Voices Engages Partner Organizations to Distribute Gun Locks

Free gun locks are now available at all 30 St. Louis Fire Department firehouses. St. Louis area residents can also pick up free gun locks at four St. Louis County Library branches and four St. Louis Public Library branches. Read more here.

Lunch & Learn: Cristina Garmendia, founder of URBNRX

A Tale of Two Cities: Affordability in the St. Louis Region
Tues., Dec. 7, noon (CST)
Virtual event
Read more and register here.

Limiting Access to the Trigger: Guns, Trauma and Suicide Prevention

Thurs., Dec. 9, 7 p.m. (CST)
Virtual event
Read more and register here.

Community Programs

Lawyers without Rights: Jewish Lawyers in Germany under the Third Reich

American Bar Association Travelling Exhibit
Exhibit Extended through Dec. 10, 2021, Law Library Association
10 N. Tucker, 13th Floor, 63101
Read more.

Exploring Intersections: Affordable Housing

Weds., Dec. 8, 3 p.m. (CST)
Virtual Event with Catholic Sister on Racism, Migration and Climate
Read more or register here.

Strategically Passing Ballot Measures

Tues., Dec. 14, 7 p.m. (CST)
Action Together Network virtual event
Read more or register here.

Advocacy in Action Lunch & Learn: Domestic Violence and the Justice System with Jaclyn Driscoll, Formerly of STLPR

Thurs., Dec. 16, noon-1 p.m. (CST)
NCJWSTL Virtual Event
Read more and register here.

Missouri Legislative Preview

Fri., Dec. 17, noon, online (CST)
Empower Missouri Friday Forum-virtual event
Read more or register here.

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