Outstanding Progressive Legislator
Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford
Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford, a Democrat, represents part of St. Louis City (District 59) in the Missouri House of Representatives. Elected to the House in 2004, Rep. Oxford was executive director of the Reform Organization of Welfare (ROWEL) from 1991-2000 and Grassroots Coordinator for the American Lung Association
2001-04.
In addition to her legislative duties, Rep. Oxford is a member of the Coalition Against Public Funding for Stadiums, Missourians for Tax Justice, Women’s Political Caucus of Metro St. Louis, PROMO, and the United Church of Christ’s Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns. Rep. Oxford attends Epiphany United Church of Christ in St. Louis.
Throughout her career, Rep. Oxford has received the Burning Bush Award from Christians for Justice Action; Shalom Award from the Eden Theological Seminary; Progressive Director/Organizer of the Year from the Missouri Progressive Vote Coalition; and the Ethical Humanist of the Year from the St. Louis Ethical Society.
A 1972 graduate of Cave-in-Rock High School in Cave-in-
Rock, Illinois, Rep. Oxford received an Associate of Arts
degree from Southeastern College in 1974. She also received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1986 and earned her Masters in Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary in
1989.
Born on July 16, 1954, in Eldorado, Illinois, Rep. Oxford
now lives in St. Louis with her partner Dorothy.
Outstanding Progressive
Labor Organization:
Missouri AFL-CIO
WHO WE ARE
A federation of unions in Missouri that are affiliated with the
national American Federation of Labor — Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). This includes AFL-CIO Central Labor Councils as well as local unions, trade union associations, committees, councils, districts and regional groups whose parent organizations are also affiliated with the national AFL-CIO.
WHAT WE DO
- Lobby local, state and federal legislators and representatives on behalf of union members and their families.
- Work toward the election of candidates who support issues important to working families.
HOW WE DO IT
- Encourage union members and their families to vote.
- Educate members on the voting records of candidates for public office and their positions on issues important to working families.
- Encourage union members to volunteer assistance to endorsed candidates' campaigns.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
- Educate, encourage and support working people in exercising their right to organize a union where they work.
- Implement the programs of the national AFL-CIO at the state level.
- Promote equality in the workplace as well as in every aspect of society through: Collective Bargaining, Legislative Initiatives, and Community Service Programs.
- Support of public education and the inclusion of a labor education curricula in Missouri classrooms.
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Outstanding Progressive
Community Organization:
Missouri Women’s Leadership Coalition
Inspired by the power of coalitions, Missouri Women’s Leadership Coalition was formed in 2001 by five mainstream women’s organizations for the exciting purpose of increasing the number of progressive Missouri women elected at all levels of government in our state -- especially the state legislature. MWLC is now an eight—member
coalition that cooperates with other like-minded organizations.
MWLC is a non-partisan, coordinating board aimed at bringing women’s organizations together to recruit, train and elect women who support reproductive choice, family planning, ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and other women’s and family issues.
MWLC jointly endorses candidates with their political partner, the Missouri ERA PAC. The public policy positions of MWLC’s coalition partners form the basis of their candidate screening and endorsement process.
MWLC takes political training workshops across the state to smaller cities, towns and rural areas. And they organize coalitions called Kitchen Cabinets to work in their local areas.
The movement for women’s political equality is growing. MWLC is a partner in US Women Connect (USWC), a national network working for women’s rights and concerns. The Missouri Women’s Leadership Coalition was formed to help women develop the skills to get involved in the political process… and WIN!
This coalition of women’s groups offers training seminars all over Missouri to teach women how to run for office, conduct winning campaigns as a manager, or get their candidate elected. MWLC’s group of trainers have years of experience with politics, and are anxious to share their knowledge.
Progressive Lifetime Achievement:
Leila Medley
Growing up in rural southwest Missouri seems a suitable
beginning for longtime political activist and public education advocate Leila Medley, whose understanding of “grass roots” reaches far beyond the family farm she grew up on--and now owns.
After a 21-year teaching career in Springfield, MO, Medley took her career a slightly different direction with the Missouri National Education Association in 1982 when she served as a regional director in the Kansas City area. Since
1987, she has served as political director for the statewide
association, defining and building the political action program and making it the successful member-driven program it is today.
During her teaching career, she served as the GOTV coordinator for a congressional candidate and for a state auditor candidate. Once joining the staff of MNEA, she began organizing campaigns for MNEA’s recommended candidates.
In addition to a long history in political campaign work for progressive candidates, Medley has been a leader in the
Democratic Party. Her first elected role was as Democratic
Committeewoman in Greene County in 1976. Since then, she has been elected to the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic National Convention, and the Democratic State Committee. She currently serves on the executive committee of the Missouri Democratic Party.
When Medley is not working toward advancing political progress through her work with Missouri NEA and the Democratic Party, she is a world traveler and wildlife photographer.
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