Family Values @ Work Mourns the Passing of Gloria Steinem

The Family Values @ Work network, its leadership, and co-founder mourn the passing of feminist organizer, political activist, writer, and longtime champion for equality and economic justice, Gloria Steinem.

“Our nation has lost an iconic voice, and our movement has lost an extraordinary partner. Gloria understood that valuing caregiving and enabling people to be good providers and good family members is key to achieving racial, gender, and economic equity. In New York, the state she called home, she used her voice and influence to stand with working people fighting for paid sick time—and celebrated their triumph,” said Gayle Goldin, executive director of Family Values @ Work. “We are deeply grateful that she stood with and inspired our movement.”

For more than half a century, Gloria Steinem’s tireless and dynamic organizing for equality and economic justice across gender, race, and caste systems helped change American life and left a valuable blueprint for generations to come.

A compelling speaker and prolific writer, Steinem used journalism, books, film, and institution-building to advance equality and amplify the voices of women and marginalized communities. Among the groups she helped found were Ms. magazine, the Women’s Media Center, Voters for Choice, the Women’s Action Alliance, and other organizations and initiatives dedicated to equality, justice, and peace. She was also a founding leader of the Ms. Foundation for Women and helped establish its groundbreaking Take Our Daughters to Work Day.

Her leadership was recognized with numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Family Values @ Work was also proud to honor Steinem with our Community Activist Game Changer award in 2013, recognizing her support for paid sick days in her home state of New York.

Family Values @ Work is especially grateful that Steinem was an early donor and supporter of our work and shared our belief that economic, racial, and gender justice in our communities begins with valuing caregiving–in our homes and at work.

“For those who may not have known Gloria Steinem, remember her for her insistence that the women’s movement be not just multi-racial, but anti-racist and intersectional in every respect – including support for women’s freedom struggles across the globe.” said Ellen Bravo, longtime friend of Steinem and co-founder of Family Values @ Work. “She understood leadership meant recognizing and creating avenues for new leaders. She was generous and kind, and a model of combining rage with humor.”

We honor Gloria Steinem not only for her work to bring about a more equal and just world, but for the generations of people she inspired to continue this work.

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Photo: Family Values @ Work co-founder Ellen Bravo (left), Darren Walker former president of the Ford Foundation, and Gloria Steinem at a Family Values @ Work event.

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