Don't come to the Ethical Society on the second Thursday of April.  Our April program will be during the morning on Wednesday, April 9, when we sponsor the "Safe & Sound" forum at the JC Penney Conference Center at UMSL.
 
And don't come to the Ethical Society on the second Thursday of May, either.  That will be our annual meeting, when we'll gather at Central Reform Congregation on Waterman Blvd. in St. Louis to elect a new slate of officers, listen to two former Missouri legislators talk about why they ran for office, and, of course, enjoy wine, appetizers, and good friends and fellowship!  
 

  

    

What do Kelvin R. Adams, superintendent of the St. Louis public schools, and Ray Hartmann, CEO of St. Louis Magazine, have in common?  What about Thomas F. George, chancellor of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and Rabbi Susan Talve of Central Reform Congregation?  Pamela Rice-Walker, director of the city Health Department, and Circuit Court Judge Jimmie Edwards?
 
These six people, plus a dozen more, are members of the Advisory Committee for "Safe & Sound: Smart Strategies to Protect Children from Gun Violence." They understand the devastation that gun violence can cause for individuals, families and communities.  Click HERE  to see the entire list of community leaders who are supporting our forum; then click on the "register now" button to let us know that you'll be there. 

    

Other hard-working committee members and the groups they represent are:
 
Jennifer Bernstein, National Council of Jewish Women-St. Louis Section; Dixie Buford, Moms Demand Action; Ruth Ehresman, Vision for Children at Risk; Farilyn Hale, Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence; and Amy Hunter, YWCA of Metro St. Louis.  
   

  

    

We don't talk much about money in Women's Voices.  Our dues are low (some say "ridiculously low") because we want to be an affordable organization for all women.  Our four founders prided themselves on "not being fund-raisers."
 
But after eight years of education and advocacy, we began to realize that money talks, and that we need to be willing to raise money if we want our voices to be heard.  And, we knew that it takes money to put on a first-class event.
 
So, we took a deep breath and asked for what we needed.  Which is the long way around to saying THANK YOU to three St. Louis organizations that have made it possible for us to present our "Safe & Sound" forum:

  
Thank you to the Deaconess Foundation and its executive director, the Rev. Starsky Wilson; thank you to the Incarnate Word Foundation and its executive director, Bridget McDermott Flood; and thank you to the Des Lee Collaborative Vision initiative at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and to collaborator Finn Esbensen. 

  

We are grateful for the faith you have put in Women's Voices. 

  

The wind blew while members of Women's Voices and allies from our partner organizations held tight to signs and banners in Festus, Frontenac, and Kirkwood.  Motorists honked their approval as they drove by during rush hour on Tuesday, March 18.  
 

  

  

At our February meeting, we honored Women's Voices founder Ruth Ann Cioci, who is moving to Minneapolis with her husband Pat.  A week later, Ruth Ann and Pat were in a serious car accident, hit by another car on very busy I-270.
 
Pat was unhurt, but Ruth Ann's injuries (including broken ribs, femur, and clavicle) required major surgery and an exhausting, but productive three weeks in rehab. Now known as the bionic woman, she and Pat made the trip north exactly four weeks after the accident, where they are gently settling into their new home. Her new address is: 

  

3701 Bryant Ave. South, Apt. 318, Minneapolis, MN  55409 

  

  

  

We are approaching 600 LIKES on our Facebook page.  If you are on Facebook, "like" our page and see posts like these that link to articles and videos about the social justice issues we care about.

Payday Loan bill not real reform 
 
Editorial on difficulties in registering for Medicaid in Missouri 
 
Discussion about sex trafficking in St. Louis 
  
Editorial on "phony" payday loan bill 
  
Brief video from Channel 9 on impact on rural hospitals if Medicaid not expanded
  
Sandra Fluke on concerns facing women today 
  
Op Ed on domestic violence 
   
Legislative hearings on Medicaid expansion in MO 
  
Article on innovative new program to combat sex trafficking

  
Article on income gap and life expectancy
  
Article showing that local increases in minimum wage helps cities 
  

  

  

 

You love what Women's Voices stands for, you love our focus on education and advocacy to make people's lives better, but you still haven't joined even though you think you should. Does this sound like you? Well, get rid of that nagging gut and join Women's Voices today!

 

  

    
 

We've made renewing simple: First, we send you an email reminder when it's time to renew (the month in which you joined Women's Voices). When you receive your reminder, you can renew your membership by clicking the PayPal link in the email reminder message.  Or, use one of the payment options at the right.