There’s a new women’s organization in Philadelphia, and it is an offshoot of the PA Federation of Democratic Women. What they did on Saturday, September 21, 2024, was so extraordinary and fitting that I just had to share it with our SCOOP Readers.
With the Pinn Memorial Baptist Church ballroom as the backdrop, Concerned Women On The Move hosted its first annual prayer breakfast–and this year’s honoree was Reverend Louise Williams Bishop, a retired PA State Representative, a 70-year on-air radio personality in Philadelphia, having spanned three radio stations, WHAT/AM, WDAS AM/FM and WURD AM/FM, and an ordained and much sought after Preacher of God’s Word.
Some 200 guests packed the ballroom, including Philadelphia’s first two Black Mayors, W. Wilson Goode, Sr. and John F. Street. Retired Philadelphia City Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell was there, as were a host of Democratic Committee persons, grassroots community leaders, and people who have followed Reverend Louise over her storied career and who just love her.
During the prayer service, prayers were offered up by the pastor of Pinn Memorial Baptist Church, Reverend John Dawkins, III, Apostle Lorraine Logan, Archbishop Mary Floyd Palmer, Reverend Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr., and Reverend Dr. Cassandra Graves. There were remarks from Mayor Goode, Mayor Street, Elder Kim Fuller, the event chairperson, Kathy Huggins, Founder of Concerned Women On The Move, and the club President Vanessa Williams.
Here’s a brief history of Concerned Women on the Move, Inc. Growing out of a need to bring out the voices of women in politics and create solid legislation and policies, Concerned Women on the Move was founded by Kathy Huggins in 1997. It is an affiliate club under the PA Federation of Democratic Women (PFDW). At that time, the leadership of the PFDW was under the late Peggy Hein. Twelve local women saw the vision, united with Kathy Huggins, and worked with women across the state to get women elected into office. In 2000, Concerned Women on the Move organized a Women’s Democratic Convention at the Adam’s Mark Hotel, and Tipper Gore was the keynote speaker for the convention.
Kim Fuller, Chairperson for the first annual prayer breakfast, stated, “It gives me great pleasure to introduce the honorable C. Delores Tucker Excellence Award. As of September 21, 2024, this honor will be given to future award recipients at our annual prayer breakfast. Thank you, Janelle Lemon, for suggesting Dr. C. Delores Tucker as the name of our scholarship fund. Each year, we will get to honor Dr. C. Delores Tucker by presenting a woman of excellence with this honor that bears her name. I am excited that the Democratic Concerned Women on the Move is making a difference.”
During the prayer breakfast, the organization also introduced and announced an annual scholarship fund to be known as the Reverend Louise Williams Bishop Scholarship Fund. Sam Staten from the Laborers Local 332 was on hand and surprised the group by announcing a ten thousand dollar donation to this brand new scholarship fund.
Reverend Louise Williams Bishop, who retired from the radio on Mother’s Day 2023 at WURD, came to the microphone during the prayer breakfast just as feisty, on point, and clear–as if she were twenty-five rather than ninety-plus years old.
Here’s some of what Reverend Louise had to say.
“I came here this morning to say thank you for your support. No matter how good I thought I was, I could not do a thing without your support. You have given me that support in everything that I have attempted to do…women have been behind me. There was no way in the world that I was not going to take the opportunity to say to all the beautiful women in Philadelphia, keep on keeping on. You’ve always done a good job. But today, it seems that you have drawn closer together. It seems that you understand each other more. And where we are and where we want to go. You show your appreciation for your support. So, I came this morning so that I could personally say thank you to each and every one of you. Thank you for all the support that I’ve gotten from all of you down through the years.
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