BLACK ELECTED LEGISLATIVE WOMEN HONOR 2008 PIONEERS

By: Staff Reports

March 17, 2008

Email to a friend

Voice your opinion

The National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women honored several women business and civic leaders March 10 in a program at Twelve Atlantic Station. Photo By Bud Smith Photography Members of the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women join their 2008 Pioneer Women Honorees during their :March 10 “A Salute to Georgia Pioneer Women” at the Twelve Atlantic Station. They are GA Rep. Roberta Abdul-Salam, Shirl D. Smith, GA Rep. Sharon Beasley Teague, Oregon Sen. Margaret Carter, Monica Pearson, GA Rep. Georganna Sinkfield, Lani Wong, Marta Ezzard, M. Alexis Scott, Grace M. Lopez Williams and GA Rep. “Able” Mable Thomas. Honorees included Emma Darnell, Martha Ezzard, Valerie Richardson Jackson, Monica Pearson, Grace M. Lopez Williams, Lani L. Wong, Georganna T. Sinkfield and M. Alexis Scott. The women were recognized by the organization for their contributions through their professions and their community service. They were part of the program “A Salute to Georgia Pioneer Women.”

There are 225 Black women in legislatures around the country who are raising issues that are important to the entire community, said Margaret Carter, national president of NOBEL Women. These issues would not be raised if these women were not present in their respective legislatures, said Carter, who is a member of the general assembly in Portland, Oregon. Georgia State Rep. Sharon Beasley-Teague, who is national secretary, welcomed the supporters to the gathering. Also bringing greetings was Gloria Travis Tanner, national executive director of NOBEL Women. Tanner is a native Atlantan and former State Senator representing Denver, Colorado. Rep. Beasley-Teague is a Democrat representing House District 65 (Fairburn). She was first elected as a member of the General Assembly in 1992. She serves on the Games, Fish & Parks, Reapportionment and Ways & Means Committees. Besides Beasley-Teague, other members of the host committee who served as presenters to the honorees were Georgia Representatives Roberta Abdul-Salaam, “Able” Mable Thomas, Bettyanne Childress-Hart, Carolyn Hugley, Gloria Frazier and Gail Davenport. State Rep. Abdul-Salaam is a Democrat representing House District 74 (part of Clayton and part of Fayette counties). She was first elected in 2005. She serves on Economic Development and Tourism, Judiciary – Non Civil and Transportation committees. “Able” Mable Thomas is a Democrat representing District 43, Post 1. She is vice chairman of the Administrative Services Committee, and also serves on the Health and Human Services, Human Relations and Aging and Judiciary committees. Carolyn Hugley is a Democrat representing District 133 (part of Muscogee County). She was first elected in 1993. She serves on Appropriations, Ethics, Natural Resources and Environment and Rules Committees. Gloria Frazier is a Democrat representing District She was sworn in Jan. 8, 2007. She serves on the Banks and Banking, Human Relations and Aging, Public Safety and Homeland Security Committees. State Senator Gail Davenport is a Democrat representing District 44 (Clayton and Henry counties). She was first elected in 2006. She serves on Higher Education, Interstate Cooperation, Public Safety, Retirement and (ex-officio) Urban Affairs Committees. Other women honored by the group who could not attend were Xernona Clayton, Geraldine Ferraro, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Ingrid Saunders Jones, Georgia First Lady Mary Perdue and Georgia Chief Justice Leah Sears. Coretta Scott King was recognized posthumously.

 “Other women honored by the group who could not attend……Geraldine Ferraro…”

Hmm? I wonder why that is?