Former Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill will receive the National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis’ (NCJWSTL) most prestigious award during a virtual ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 13.
“We are so proud of the Claire’s work on behalf of women, children and families everywhere,” said NCJWSTL CEO Ellen Alper. “Claire exemplifies the advocacy and commitment needed to accomplish our goals and achieve our mission.”
McCaskill will be honored with the 2020 Hannah G. Solomon Founder’s Award at the Celebrating Women Event tomorrow, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The virtual event, originally scheduled to take place in April, will feature an engaging conversation with the honoree, as well as guest speakers and entertainment.
During her two terms in the Senate, McCaskill earned a reputation as a plain-spoken, no-nonsense moderate, unafraid of unscripted conversations with the press, and with a penchant for communicating directly with her constituents through Twitter and town halls. McCaskill – the only woman ever elected to the Senate from Missouri – consistently crossed the aisle to cut bipartisan deals and was frequently ranked by experts as one of the most independent senators in Washington.
McCaskill remains the only person in Missouri history to unseat a sitting governor in a primary campaign. A former prosecutor and state auditor, she established a long track record of rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse of power in government. When she left the Senate earlier this year, McCaskill was the top-ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee. She is currently a political analyst for NBC and MSNBC.
McCaskill’s lifetime of public service makes her the embodiment of the award, which honors those who work tirelessly to provide leadership to inspire and motivate others. Named after Hannah G. Solomon, who founded the National Council of Jewish Women in the 1890s, previous award recipients include civil rights attorney Frankie Freeman, Rev. Traci Blackmon, Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, businesswoman Maxine Clark, former Sen. Christopher Bond and voting rights attorney and advocate Denise Lieberman.
“To be in the same group as an esteemed U.S. senator is an incredible honor for me,” said Lieberman, director and general counsel of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition. “Sen. McCaskill, like Hannah G. Solomon, was a trailblazer and has continued to uplift Missouri, serving as state auditor, U.S. senator and an important commentator outside of the Senate today. She continues to inspire people to stay involved. No matter where she is in life, she’s still involved. No matter where we are in our life stage, we all have something to bring to the table.”
Criteria for the award selection include: the ability to exemplify the NCJW mission of improving the quality of life for women, children, and families; expand and promote the status of women in vital areas of community life; work to ensure and advance individual and civil rights; and provide leadership that has motivated others to fight for progress and enlightenment in our community.
For more information about the Celebrating Women Event honoring Claire McCaskill, visit ncjwstl.org.
