Deborah Koff Ross: “I rise today to honor a North Carolina trailblazer, Juanita Bryant, who, sadly, passed away last month. Juanita spent…”

“I rise today to honor a North Carolina trailblazer, Juanita Bryant, who, sadly, passed away last month. Juanita spent her career fighting for the women of North Carolina. She made history by becoming the first woman in North Carolina appointed by the Governor to chair a State board or commission. When Governor Hunt appointed her as executive director of the North Carolina Council for Women in 1993, he said: "Mrs. Bryant is one of North Carolina's most knowledgeable citizens in the area of women's issues." On the council, Juanita led critical programs for women, including initiatives to help survivors of domestic violence, women in the military, women businessowners, and so much more. Juanita Bryant advanced equality for women in North Carolina, but her legacy lives on in all the women and girls who walk in her footsteps today.”