Remembering Ann Richards

Please read this letter sent from Gretchen Ritter out to the faculty and students at the Center for Women's and Gender Studies at UT Austin:

Dear Friends,

We are all very saddened by the news of Governor Ann Richards' passing. She was an extraordinary woman, who enriched the lives of many. In addition to being the first woman elected governor of Texas on her own terms, Richards was one of the founders of the Foundation for Women's Resources, Leadership Texas, and the Women's Museum.

As her good friend Cathy Bonner said to the press last night, "Ann Richards is one of the most important women in American history. She came to political leadership at a time when women had to overcome all kinds of barriers and obstacles to get there. And she did it with determination, and good luck, and a real focus. She lived under a star, and she always felt like she lived under a star because she said, 'No matter what, I have had the most wonderful life, and I have gotten to do things that I never dreamed in my young life, living in little Lakeview, Texas.' "

As many of you know, Richards taught a course for some of our undergraduates last fall on Women, Life and Leadership. We felt very privileged to be able to offer that extraordinary opportunity to our students. She was also a supporter of the Center, as one of the original members of the CWGS 300 Club started by Lucia Gilbert on the mid-1990s.

Her family has asked that memorial donations be directed to the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders - which Richards was instrumental in starting last year. You can send your gifts to the Austin Community Foundation, P.O. Box 5159,Austin, Texas 78763, 512-472-4483, or by email: www.austincommunityfoundation.org.

Gretchen Ritter, PhD/ Director, Center for Women's & Gender Studies/ Associate Professor of Government & Gender Studies/ University of Texas at Austin
To learn more about this center visit http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/cwgs.