A native of Kirkwood, Laura attended the University of Missouri-Columbia where she received both a BHS and MHS in Communication Science and Disorders. She returned to St. Louis to work as a Speech-Language Pathologist, most recently at the nonprofit Walker Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders. She resides in Webster Groves with her husband, Justin and two children, Jacob and Abby. Laura joined Women’s Voices in 2017 thanks to the encouragement of a friend and WV member. She is particularly passionate about issues related to climate crisis, reproductive rights, voting and education. |
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Join with Other Women’s Voices Members to Tour St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum |
Thursday, August 31, noon-1:30 p.m.
St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum
Guided Tour
36 Millstone Campus Drive
St. Louis, MO 63146
$12/person for museum entry ($10 for those 65+; no additional cost for tour)
The St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Holocaust, educating about its causes and illustrating what happened during this tragic period and how it relates to our lives today. The new museum opened in November 2022 and its focus is on Holocaust survivors who resettled in St. Louis after WWII. While learning Holocaust history is the key to understanding its roots, the museum has another duty: to use the history and lessons of the Holocaust to reject hatred, promote understanding, and inspire change.
Former WV president, Lise Bernstein, will lead a tour of the museum for Women's Voices members and supporters. For those who are interested, we will meet after the tour to talk more about the tour and how we can support the museum's essential work.
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Sept. 23-24
Tower Grove Park
Tower Grove Pride is an alternative pride event that is focused on local businesses and community organizations rather than the corporate sponsors who now dominate the June Pride event. It is also meant to be in a more inviting and inclusive setting. Their mission: "A community-powered independent Pride festival in Tower Grove Park. We are LGBTQ+ centered with a broad mission to support and promote social justice for every disadvantaged, oppressed, or undervalued community."
Make sure to stop by the Women's Voices table at Tower Grove Pride!
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Welcome Neighbor Supper Club |
Wednesday, September 27, 6 p.m.
Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion
7401 Delmar Blvd., University City, MO 63130
Join us for our first Welcome Neighbor Supper Club. Introduce a friend to WV and support our refugee neighbors.
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Update on the Fight to Restore Reproductive Rights in Missouri |
Reproductive Rights will be a focus of our Advocacy Engagement Committee this year. There are currently two pivotal efforts in Missouri to reverse the anti-abortion Dobbs decision in the spring of 2022.
Initiative Petition
In March, an initiative petition was filed to establish a right to make decisions about reproductive rights, including abortion, in Missouri. The attorney general has thwarted these efforts by stalling the process based on a disagreement with how much it would cost and by proposing ballot language that is inaccurate and inflammatory. The ACLU has filed a lawsuit opposing the language that will continue once the language is certified (expected the first week in August). Once language is finalized, we will share ways to help with collecting signatures.
Lawsuit
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Educated, Energized and Ready to Advocate |
The Criminal Legal System Reform (CLSR) Task Force of the Racial Justice Committee, co-chaired by Susan Glassman and Mary Schuman, met recently to establish goals and priorities for the 2023-2024 year. Ideas flowed, and the group is poised to hit the ground running when vacation season concludes. Pushing Clean Slate legislation over the legislative finish line is its first goal. The bi-partisan Clean Slate bill introduced in the 2023 legislative session was well received, and it is expected to be reintroduced for the 2024 session. Our partnership with Empower Missouri and the Missouri Clean Slate Campaign will offer many opportunities to volunteer in a variety of advocacy activities. Be on the lookout for them!
Several members, led by Karen Coulson, are zeroing in on pre-trial detention issues Pre-Trial detention with particular attention to the ways individuals who are presumed innocent are detained and supervised; the mental anxiety of people and their families who enter the criminal legal system; and the difficulty in procuring public defenders. Another Task Force focus led by Anne Litwin is on Missouri’s privatized probation system wherein individuals on supervision for misdemeanors are required in some counties to pay program costs and administrative fees to private agencies under threat of reincarceration. We hope you will follow our progress on these issues, and feel welcome to join us at any time.
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Save the Date for September Programs
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Being Cherokee in St. Louis: Personal Stories and Hidden Truths
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Thursday, September 14, 7 p.m.
50 Gay Ave., 63105
Galen Gritts will speak about his life experience as a registered member of the Cherokee Nation.
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Lunch & Learn with Consumers Council of Missouri |
Thursday, September 28, noon
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St. Louis Racial Equity Summit |
November 9-11, 2023
Summit will be held both in-person and virtually.
The 2023 Racial Equity Summit will serve as a platform to elevate, collaborate, and activate the people, practices, and resources necessary to achieve Racial Equity. The 2023 theme is, “Together We Rise: The Power of Community.”
The summit has three purposes:
1) Awareness of Inequity: To engage participants in building their awareness of systemic inequities that exist in the regions-from education to housing to healthcare and beyond.
2) Understanding of Why Inequity Exists: To help participants to gain an understanding of the systemic issues at hand and build a plan for how to address them, perhaps looking at successful tactics in St. Louis or other regions.
3) Transforming Towards Equity: To share ready-made + pressure-tested strategies for taking action. We will look to the leadership of local leaders of color to share actions that can be taken against structural inequities right now.
Women's Voices is proud to be represented by president, Liz Sondhaus, on the St. Louis Racial Equity Conference Community Advisory Board.
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Karen Cloyd, chair of the Campaign for Common Sense Gun Solutions Committee, was honored by the St. Louis County Democrats at their annual gala on Saturday, July 15. Karen was awarded the Thomas Eagleton Grassroots Award for her grassroots organizing, gun safety efforts, and campaign work to support candidates for office. Kudos, Karen!
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Women's Voices Members Respond to Injustice! |
Susan Glassman, in her letter to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, writes that though many reforms have been made in the criminal justice system, additional public attention and resources are needed to provide professional, timely legal representation to those facing criminal charges who need public defenders.
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Have something to submit for Loud & Clear?
Loud & Clear is the official monthly e-newsletter of Women's Voices Raised for Social Justice and is usually distributed on the first Monday or Tuesday of the month. The general deadline for article submission is the Wednesday prior to publication. Click here to contact editor Laura Rose.
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Even if you can’t come to meetings or become personally involved, your membership is important…and greatly appreciated.
Benefits of Membership
When you join Women’s Voices you:
- Make our voice stronger when we advocate with elected officials.
- Provide support to the organization by adding your name to our advocacy efforts.
- Provide ideas and suggestions to help determine how to define our positions and choose our causes.
- Participate in advocacy activities in any way that you want or is possible for you.
- Take pride in your affiliation with a strong, progressive group of women working for social justice.
- Help cover our administrative and outreach costs through your dues.
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Annual Dues:
$60 (Regular Membership)
$100 (Silver Level)
$150 (Gold Level)
$20 (Student Membership)
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Send a check (payable to Women's Voices) to:
Women's Voices
7401 Delmar Blvd.
University City, MO 63130
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