Welcome Bryna Williams, Women’s Voices First Executive Director |
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Bryna Williams stepped in as the first executive director of Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice in May of this year. Bryna practiced for 10 years as an attorney with the EdLaw Project, a legal services program in Boston where she represented students in a variety of school cases, including special education, discipline, and access to school. More recently she has been active in the community as a Leader with Metropolitan Congregations United, as a participant in Kirkwood schools and district equity groups, and as a campaign worker for school board representatives. She lives in Oakland with her spouse, Chuck Kaufman, who is a research physician at Washington University, and her daughter Ryann, 12, and her sons Kore, 7, and Kelsey, 6.
Bryna joins Women’s Voices at an exciting time in the organization's history and a crucial time for learning and advocating for social justice in the St. Louis region. Having an executive director to manage day to day business will ensure that Women’s Voices will have a lasting impact on members and the community. Starting out, her chief roles are to learn more about the organization through participation in committee meetings, connecting with members and networking with partner organizations. She is working closely with Laura Rose and board members to create a board and operations manual to make the organization as efficient as possible and will focus time on fundraising and membership and leadership development in the coming months.
Bryna can be reached at [email protected]. Please feel free to reach out to her with questions or comments about Women’s Voices. She would also be happy to meet for coffee or lunch to learn more about your involvement with the organization.
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Domestic Violence Prevention: Groundbreaking Efforts |
Thursday, October 13, 7 p.m.
Virtual Program
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Missouri has the third-highest rate of people who have experienced domestic violence. About 41.8% of Missouri women and 35.2% of men experience intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence, or stalking. The majority of intimate partner gun homicide victims are women.
Our speakers will describe their groundbreaking work to prevent domestic violence, understand its causes, and provide services to survivors.
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Speakers:
Carla Maley, Director of Community Engagement, St. Martha’s Hall
Jill Theresa Messing, MSW, PhD, Director of the Office of Gender-Based Violence, Arizona State University
Laura Morris-Halfmann, MSW, LCSW, Co-Manager, Lasting Solutions Family Law Program, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (LSEM)
Wilford Pinkney, Jr., Director, Office of Violence Prevention, City of St. Louis
Jesenia Pizarro, PhD, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University
Emily Stoinski, Community Education Coordinator, Safe Connections
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A Place to Call Home
Lunch & Learn with Habitat for Humanity
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Thursday, October 20, noon (NEW DATE!)
Virtual Program
Speaker: Harper Zielonko, Director of Resource Development, Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis
Habitat for Humanity and Women’s Voices both believe in a world in which everyone has a decent place to live. Our Attainable Housing Task Force has focused on affordable rental units in the metro area; Habitat for Humanity's Harper Zielonko will address the other side of the attainable housing coin: home ownership, what works, what doesn’t, what is currently under construction, and how we can help.
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Domestic Violence Affects Us All |
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Women's Voices wants YOU to know why this is important We need to use our voices to draw attention to this issue and not be silent because: domestic violence is everybody's business:
- One in seven women, children and men are affected by domestic violence, yet over half the cases go unreported.
- On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner.
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One in four women and one in seven men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. (Source: Women Safe, Inc.)
The weekend of September 24, 2022, in St. Charles, MO, a man killed his sister and severely injured his girlfriend. KMOV TV reported that Missouri ranks #2 in the nation for women being murdered by men.
What YOU/ WE can do:
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Get Out the Vote Postcard Party and Election Protection Open House |
Monday, October 24, 6:30-9 p.m.
Grant's View Branch of the St. Louis County Library
9700 Musick Ave, 63123
Join us for an evening of postcard writing and Election Protection (EP) education. Address Get Out the Vote (GOTV) postcards while the STL Metro Area EP Coordinator covers important Election Protection issues unique to the STL Metro Area.
No RSVP required. Drop in anytime between 6:30-9 p.m.
Can’t join us in-person? Postcards will also be available for porch pick up. Sign up here.
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Absentee Voting Underway in Missouri
Excuse-Based Absentee Voting By Mail or In-Person:
Sept. 27 - Nov. 7, 2022
No-Excuse In-Person Absentee Voting With Valid Photo ID:
Oct. 25 - Nov. 7
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October 25 No-excuse in-person absentee voting opens (8 a.m.) for the November 8 general election.
November 7 Last day for voting an absentee ballot in person at the Board of Elections or satellite site (5 p.m.) for the November 8 general election.
November 8 ELECTION DAY, Polls open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m.
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For hours and locations and more information, visit
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Missouri's New Election Law-HB 1878 |
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Do you have questions about Missouri’s new 2022 law, HB 1878? Watch our September program where Michele Steinberg describes the grave challenges HB 1878 presents to voters and to those who register people to vote. Christine Dragonette shares information about assisting individuals to obtain valid IDs. Ruth Ehresman encourages each of us to do something to fight voter disenfranchisement.
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Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table at Dance the Vote and wrote postcards thanking our Election Heroes. We had an amazing afternoon energizing our community and celebrating voting. See photos more here.
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Women's Voices September Co-Sponsored Events |
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Songs to Save Democracy: A Concert Celebrating Democracy & the Right to Vote
Mon., Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m.
This event’s purpose is to raise awareness of voting issues and provide information on voter participation. The concert will feature performances by The 442s (featuring top jazz artists and members of the St. Louis Symphony), special guests jazz pianist Peter Martin and vocalist Anita Jackson, and the world premiere of three new compositions about democracy and voting.
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Interfaith Vigil to Save Children's Lives
Tues., Oct. 25, 4:30 p.m.
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Women's Voices Members Respond to Injustice! |
Nancy Litz, Women's Voices member and board president of the National Council of Jewish Women, St. Louis, is the co-author of a commentary in the St. Louis Post Dispatch outlining the consequences of denying women the right to abortions.
Gail Wechsler, Women's Voices member and Missouri State Communications Lead for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, urges readers to look at evidence in the school safety debate. Her recent letter was published in the St. Louis Jewish Light.
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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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