Honoring Mothers of the Movement
An Extraordinary Historic Event Happened In Oakland on May 31, 2025
Mothers of the Movement was inspired by a sense of immense gratitude, appreciation and respect for the role that mothers play in our lives. My sister Tonsa and I were blessed to have our birth Mom until she reached the age of 92 and transitioned on May 3, 2024.
I was also blessed to have three foster Moms - Alice Aaron, Amy Jenkins and Lorena O’Donnell - who kept me going in the midst of the storm. They have also passed away, leaving me with an uncompromising legacy of hope for young people.
The Mothers of the Movement – Angela Davis, Dezi Woods-Jones, Elaine Brown, Fania Davis, Gay Plair Cobb, Katy Polony, Ms. Margaret Gordon, Rashidah Grinage, Dr. Vicki Alexander and Rev. Wanda Johnson
10 extraordinary women who transcended their own soul-crushing personal tragedies into activism and unstoppable movements for justice, healing, and change. These trailblazers — mothers, warriors, organizers, and visionaries — have built bridges while others built walls. They turned their stories of grief and despair into a call for collective action. They have shown us what love and courage in action can accomplish in our community and our world. They remind us that the fight for justice is deeply personal and powerfully communal.
The strength and hope for the future these Mothers of the Movement have shared with our community and the world is immeasurably priceless.
It was my honor to join many wonderful members of our community to host and celebrate the Mothers of the Movement for their courage, resiliency, love and leadership as we carry their legacies forward.