The day's theme said it all. Pro-life Feminism: A Light Shines for 95 Years. Pro-life icon Elizabeth 'Liz' Costanzo, formerly of Hastings-on-Hudson and now Rhode Island was awarded the Women's Equality Day Reformed Mott-Stanton-Anthony Lifetime Achievement Award, while well-known citizen of Yonkers, Vincenza 'Vinni' Restiano was its most-deserving 2015 Honoree and Woman of the Year.
This memorable celebration of women's voting rights and pro-life feminism at the County Board of Legislator's Michaelian Building, marked the 95th anniversary of the Federal Ratification of the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920. It was the fourteenth year for this reformed ceremony in White Plains, New York.
The event has quite a history. For 28 years Westchester County honored specific women on this occasion, but excluded any professional woman if she was pro-life. Imagine, on the occasion of women's voting rights deliberately excluding half the eligible female population in the County because they voted their conscience. Prior to the first reformed event, held in justice to offset almost thirty years of banned recognition, co-chairperson Regina Riely sued Westchester County for trying to block WEDR's use of the building, and won a $10,000 settlement from the County, and an allowing of this annual ceremony with at least one Board member's support and presence. This year the Honorable Gordon A. Burrows, the Honorable Sheila Marcotte, and the Honorable Michael Smith were present and shared Proclamations for Liz and Vinni from some of the members of the County Board of Legislators.
Women want their voices and ideas to be heard and pro-life feminism has deep roots with many of the early suffragettes writing and speaking on behalf of women's voting rights, greater elevation in society, and against abortion on behalf of the child in the womb. The day began early on the 9th Floor.
The group begins to gather in anticipation
Brigid Faranda is our award artist-in-residence
That spunky Vinni gives us a rousing vote of confidence
Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett reads Liz Costanzo's award, accepted by Alice Hughes on behalf of Liz who was unable to join us in person
Alice reads a personal note of thanks from Liz
Sister Mary Joseph Powers, OP of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne at Rosary Hill was the day's keynote speaker on critical end of life issues
Previous Honorees included Christine Mortell Plazas, here with Dr. Elizabeth Rex of The Children First Foundation whose Choose Life license plate supports adoption
Here is Mrs. Dorothea Muccigrosso, outstanding educator and previous Honoree
Mother Mary Francis of Rosary Hill gave the Invocation
Alice Hughes talks of Amy Boissonneault whose image of the stages of a woman's life is the WEDR logo
Brigid Faranda presents the 2015 award to Woman of the Year Vincenza Restiano
Watch for other postings in LifeNet on this day's events!
What a great and important event this is every year. These honorees are true heroines standing up and fighting for the self-evident and unalienable human rights upon which our great nation and the entire civilized world have been built upon.
Posted by: Dr. Elizabeth B. Rex | August 17, 2015 at 11:53 AM
Wonderful and congratulations to Vincenza Restiano and Liz Costanzo! Keep going, Westchester for you are showing New York State how to make goodness happen!
Posted by: Eileen Peterson | August 19, 2015 at 12:23 AM
It is a privilege for the WEDR Committee to celebrate the personal and professional contributions of so many wonderful pro-life women each year on this anniversary! We thank those minority members of the County Board of Legislators who allow this to happen by their support for our participation in legislative process through ideas and values shared with them and the voting public.
Posted by: Judith Anderson | September 04, 2015 at 01:59 PM