2010 Lesley Gore Bella Abzug Award
Medallion: 2" diameter
Box: 3.5" wide x 3.5" long x 1.25"deep

Bella Abzug
Bella Abzug, feminist and civil rights advocate, embodied many Americans discontent with the political establishment in the tumultuous Vietnam War era. She gained notoriety as one of the most colorful and controversial House Members during the 1970s. Once quoted as saying 'women have been trained to talk softly and carry a lipstick' --a play on Theodore Roosevelts famous declaration that on foreign policy, America 'should speak softly and carry a big stick' --the determined New York Congresswoman spent much of her life refuting the notion that women should remain on the political sidelines. Despite serving in Congress for only three terms, Abzugs political flair and unwavering determination helped inspire an entire generation of women and created a new model for future Congresswomen. 'She was such a trailblazer, ' a former aide noted after Abzugs death in 1998. 'It wasnt that she was the first woman in Congress. It was that she was the first woman to get in Congress and lead the way toward creating a feminist presence. '(Source: history.house.gov)

Bella Abzug Leadership Institute
The Bella Abzug Leadership Institute (BALI) has proudly worked with young women throughout NYC and the tri-state area since 2005, inspiring, training and mentoring them to become leaders in creating positive social and economic change. (Source: abzuginstitute.org)

Good condition overall