Recent Activities
Celebrating WVR 20th Anniversary
In May of 2005 four friends were together when their conversation turned to concerns about where the country could be headed under the newly elected administration, and they asked themselves (as we do today) what they could do to make things better. Out of these conversations came the start of Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice. On April 26, 2025, more than 70 people gathered to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Women’s Voices and to honor the four Founders: Ruth Ann Cioci, Joanne Kelly, Barbara Finch and Ann Ruger. It was a joyful occasion filled with fun stories, moments of pride and aspirations for a strong future.
Women’s Voices Raises Up Little Known Civil Rights Hero, the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray
Women’s Voices Raised was honored to host Angela Thorpe Mason, executive director of the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice for our March Lunch & Learn. Ms. Thorpe Mason shared a fascinating and inspiring introduction to the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray. Although rarely mentioned in the popular history of the Civil Rights Movement, Murray was arguably one of the most important figures in 20th Century history.
The Rev. Dr. Murray was a human rights activist, legal scholar, feminist, poet, author, Episcopal priest, labor organizer, multiracial Black, LGBTQ+ person who lived one of the most remarkable lives of the 20th century. S/he was the first Black person to earn a JSD (Doctor of the Science of Law) degree from Yale Law School, a founder of the National Organization for Women and the first Black person perceived as a woman to be ordained an Episcopal priest.
Read more here.
Watch the program here.
Clean Slate Day at Jeff City
March 5, 2025
On Wednesday, March 5, seven members of Women’s Voices traveled to the Capitol in Jefferson City for Clean Slate Day. Karen Coulson, Karen Francis, Anne Litwin, Leslie McCormick, Nancy Price, Rochelle Kaskowitz, and Ellen Wentz went to over 50 Senators’ and Representatives’ offices.
They talked to the legislators or their assistants about Clean Slate generally and the current bills pending in the Missouri House and Senate. Mary Schuman provided participants with information about the legislators, and she and Michele Steinberg prepared informative flyers to distribute to legislators. Those who WVR members spoke with generally supported Clean Slate.
Clean Slate would give a second chance to individuals convicted of certain nonviolent crimes who have served their time and paid any penalties. The law would automatically expunge the convictions, giving the individuals an opportunity to obtain employment, find housing, and lead productive lives, rather than encountering barriers for a lifetime.
Update on Clean Slate Bills: HB 953 has been voted out of the Economic Development committee with a “Do Pass” recommendation, has acquired two new sponsors, and is scheduled for executive session before the Administrative Rules Committee on March 13; SB 19 has been heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee and SB 435 is before that committee.
We are hoping for a Clean Slate Law this year!
Lunch & Lock Gun Lock Bundling
March 12 & 14, 2025
Thanks to our volunteers, we bundled 1,500 gun locks for distribution throughout the community.
Lunch & Learn with Annie Legomsky
Watch the recorded program here.
A Bounty of Treasures at the George B. Vashon Museum
October 24, 2024
WV Racial Justice Committee members and supporters were treated to an in-depth tour of the George B. Vashon Museum of African American History. Calvin Riley, executive director and founder of the museum, shared his vast knowledge, along with his collection of 10,000+ artifacts spanning 250 years of St. Louis’ African American history, amassed over 40 years. In a remarkable testament to Riley’s integrity and deep commitment to St. Louis’s Black history, he has chosen to keep these priceless pieces in St. Louis, despite being approached by many national museums, including the Smithsonian, which have sought to acquire his collection.
The museum highlights the extreme experiences African Americans had to endure in order to succeed and build a strong, cohesive Black community. It also demonstrates that Black history is St. Louis history because of the multitude of contributions made by African Americans.
22nd Annual Mary Meachum Celebration
October 19, 2024
WV members attended the 22nd Annual Mary Meachum Celebration to learn about the amazing work of this founder of the Underground Railroad, Mary Meachum, in St. Louis to aid the escape of enslaved people. This celebration included the re-enactment of three escapes of enslaved people in the early 1800’s.
Lunch & Learn-MetroLink Extension &
Jeff-Vander-Lou’s Fight to Preserve Its Community & History
October 16, 2024
Carla Alexander of the Jeff-Vander-Lou (JVL) Neighborhood Association briefly discussed the history of JVL and described the association’s current fight to protect the majority-Black JVL neighborhood and historic district. Bi-State Development and the East-West Gateway Council of Governments are proposing a $1.1 billion MetroLink extension along the Jefferson Corridor to serve the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
Get Out the Vote Postcard Party
October 15, 2024
Walking Tour of Old North St. Louis
September 28, 2024
Participated in a See STL Walking Tour by the Missouri Historical Society to visit two of St. Louis’s most historic neighborhoods, Old North and St. Louis Place. Gathered a group of 12 WV members and supporters to share this excellent opportunity to learn about these historic Black-majority neighborhoods.
Racial Justice Film-
Suppressed and Sabotaged: The Fight to Vote
September 27, 2024
The Racial Justice Film Festival, in collaboration with Eliot Unitarian Chapel, showed the film: Suppressed and Sabotaged 2024: The Fight to Vote, followed by a discussion with a panel of election experts.
Get Out the Vote Postcard Party
September 17, 2024
Lunch & Learn
Media and Democracy Project:
Advocating for a better-informed America
September 16, 2024
Milo Vassallo, executive director of the Media and Democracy Project (MAD) discussed concrete actions to hold Fox/The Murdochs accountable for 2020 election lies, such as advocacy for and support of local journalism, demanding better pro-democracy media coverage, and efforts to hold media accountable for 2020 election lies.
MAD is a non-partisan, all-volunteer, 501(c)(4), grassroots civic membership organization formed in 2020. MAD is fighting for a more informative and pro-democracy media, operating in the public interest. MAD is alarmed by the power that media narratives wield over our society and electoral outcomes.
MAD advocates and empowers people to activate civically:
- to support local and non-profit journalism
- to advance media literacy and engage in media criticism
- to advocate for legislative and regulatory solutions to support better media
Watch the program recording here.
WV Members Field Trip to Habitat for Humanity Lookaway Summit Housing Community
June 30, 2024
On Sunday afternoon several Women’s Voices members joined the Attainable Housing Task Force for a tour of the Habitat for Humanity housing community, Lookaway Summit, in North Saint Louis County.
Avis Laden of Habitat for Humanity discussed how housing creates stability in every aspect of life, specifically mental health. Poor housing conditions increase the risk of depression by up to 64 percent over a lifetime.
Freedom Summer
June 19, 2024
Several Women’s Voices members attended two June Freedom Summer events, hosted by ArchCity Defenders in June. Volunteers connected with community members and organization and representatives to discuss resources and opportunities related to voting rights, housing, criminal legal system and more. Lock It for Love volunteers were on hand to distribute FREE gun locks to those with unsecured firearms in their homes.
Women’s Voices Hosts Second Welcome Neighbor Supper Club
May 2, 2024
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Welcome Neighbor Supper Club! We had a lovely evening filled with engaging conversations, delicious food, and new friendships.
Lunch & Learn: Why Medicaid Matters
Thursday, April 25
Medicaid is a “political hot potato” topic, with many legislators offering positive or negative opinions and expressing strong feelings about the costs of the program. But to people with disabilities, Medicaid is an essential health insurance program that saves lives. Medicaid is there following a life changing accident. Medicaid allows people with disabilities to access the doctors, medicines, and therapies they need in many cases.
Paraquad Medicaid ambassadors Everlene Falconer and Constance Phillips-Gray, along with Ronald Wallace, shared their experiences with Medicaid. Jeanette Mott Oxford offered an update on several Medicaid issues in Missouri and provided information on services available through Paraquad. Paraquad, serving primarily St. Louis City and County, is one of Missouri’s 22 independent living centers providing five core services to people with disabilities: information and referral, peer support, independent living skills training, transitions, and advocacy.
Watch the recorded presentation here.
Lunch & Learn: Challenges in American Higher Education
April 17, 2024
Turmoil on college campuses is in the news as students protest the war in Gaza and administrators attempt to defuse the chaos. Members or Women’s Voices were privileged to hear some thoughts about this when Professor Mark Wrighton, former chancellor of Washington University and past president of George Washington University, spoke about challenges in higher education at a Lunch and Learn session on April 17.
View the recorded program here
Watch the recorded presentation to hear about Professor Wrighton’s own journey from a small elementary school in Florida to the top of the
Ivy League.
Lunch & Learn: The Power of the People-Understanding the Initiative Petition Process in Missouri’s Democracy
April 5, 2024
Speaker M’Evie Mead, director of strategic partnerships at Missouri Jobs with Justice and facilitator of the Will of the People Coalition, explored the history of initiative petitions in our state and reviewed current challenges in the Missouri legislature aimed at reshaping this important citizen-driven tool.
On April 25, the Missouri House of Representatives passed SJR 74. SJR 74 would require constitutional initiative petitions to pass by not just a majority of all votes cast, as is the case now, but also by a majority of votes in a majority of the state’s eight Congressional districts. This means that measures approved by a majority of Missouri’s voters may not pass into law, allowing a minority of citizens to determine policy outcomes.
The measure now goes back to the Missouri Senate, where a filibuster is expected to challenge the inclusion of the “ballot candy” provisions. If approved there, the proposed change would go to the ballot for approval by Missouri voters.
Call and write the your State Senator and tell them you OPPOSE this bill and any measure that changes the initiative petition process advancing in the legislature.
This event was co-hosted by Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice and the Ashrei Foundation.
Watch the recorded presentation here.
Racial Justice Film Series: The Right to Read
March 29, 2024
Lunch & Learn: Pretrial Detention and the Criminalization of Poverty
February 22, 2024
Insha Rahman joined us to share stories from her work on ending mass incarceration and the criminalization of poverty across the country, including in New York, Illinois, Texas, and elsewhere. She offered lessons for countering the “tough-on-crime” rhetoric and reactionary backlash that stands in the way of advancing policies that deliver safety and justice for all.
As vice president for advocacy and partnerships at Vera Institute of Justice and vice president at Vera Action, Insha Rahman leads the development of advocacy priorities and campaigns. This includes partnering with government and communities to end mass incarceration, fight for immigrants’ rights, ensure dignity behind bars, and build safe, thriving communities for all. Rahman is a nationally recognized expert on bail reform and criminal justice. Prior to joining Vera, she was a public defender at The Bronx Defenders.
Watch the recorded presentation here.
Lunch & Learn: Arts at the Forefront of Social Justice
February 13, 2024
Speakers:
Renée Brummell Franklin, chief diversity officer, Saint Louis Art Museum
Nicole Ambos Freber, managing director, Opera Theatre of St. Louis (OTSL)
Emily Kohring, executive director, Bread and Roses of Missouri
Watch the recorded presentation here.
