[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 120 (Monday, September 10, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        HONORING GLORIA GRIFFIN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 10, 2012

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life and work of 
Gloria Griffin, a pioneer who dedicated her career to improving women's 
status in Minnesota.
  Gloria Griffin was born in Iowa, grew up in California, and started 
her career in New York City as art director at Harper's Bazaar and Good 
Housekeeping. In 1967, she moved to Minnesota with her husband and 
their four children. In 1976, she entered politics as the Democratic-
Farmer-Labor-endorsed candidate for Minnesota's Second Congressional 
District. She lost the race to the incumbent, but Governor Rudy Perpich 
recognized her potential and appointed her as Chair of his newly 
created Open Appointments Commission, where she helped change the face 
of government by placing more women and minorities in important 
positions.
  After the 1980 election, when Gloria witnessed that ``women and 
children lost big in the legislature,'' 23 organizations came together 
to create the Minnesota Women's Consortium. Gloria was unanimously 
elected as the first Coordinator, and led the Consortium for 15 years. 
Under her leadership, the Consortium achieved significant milestones 
that helped it grow into the largest association of women's 
organizations in the country.
  For the better part of a decade, the Minnesota Women's Consortium was 
run out of a small storefront office. In 1988, Gloria Griffin led a 
group of women who transformed a decrepit building near the State 
Capitol into the Minnesota Women's Building at 550 Rice Street. Gloria 
not only oversaw the new headquarters, but with cooperation from the 
League of Women Voters Education Fund, Chrysalis, and the Minnesota 
Women's Consortium, the building was purchased and renovated debt-free.
  Gloria Griffin was the key to many more accomplishments and 
victories. In 1990, under pressure from anti-abortion groups, the 
Dayton Hudson Foundation withdrew their funding for Planned Parenthood 
of Minnesota's educational programs. Gloria, along with thousands of 
women across Minnesota, was outraged at the defunding of these teen 
pregnancy prevention programs. She correctly predicted that this would 
only be a ``momentary mistake,'' and organized a successful campaign 
that resulted in Dayton Hudson reversing its decision and restoring 
funding.
  Gloria Griffin was not only a leader on women's policy issues; she 
was also a mentor to individual women. In the years to come, her 
championship of women earned her numerous awards, including the YWCA 
St. Paul Leadership Award for Outstanding Contribution to Government/
Politics, Women of Distinction Award from Soroptimist International for 
her accomplishments in Human Rights/Advancement of the Status of Women, 
the Ann Bancroft Dream Maker Award for Achievement and Leadership, and 
the DFL Woman of Distinction Award.
  Mr. Speaker, in honor of Gloria Griffin's steadfast commitment to the 
advancement of women's lives, I am pleased to submit this statement for 
the Congressional Record.

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