Vivian Nikolic, Krista Boudreau, Cassie Dupont, Iris O’Brien / Baylee Ickes, Katarina Scribner, Montana Stomski, Anita Wiiliams, Chelsea Parker

A bumper sticker from the Secretary of State for Vermont says: “Your Vote Is Your Voice,” but it wasn't until 1920 that Vermont women were able to use their voice at the state and federal level. Edna Fairbanks-Williams was born on June 13, 1932, just twelve years after women gained the right to vote. She became the mother of five children at a young age. She struggled with poverty and was forced to get help from the welfare system her whole life. However, not only did she overcome her personal poverty, she used her rights as a citizen to advocate for others through her work at the local, state, and federal levels. 

In an era when President Johnson declared War on Poverty, Edna was a prime example of success for the program. She received advocacy training for low income individuals through BROC (Bennington Rutland Opportunity Council), which heavily influenced her life's work. At the state level, Edna was the President of Vermont Low Income Advocacy Council. She was a board member for various organizations including Vermont Legal Aid, Law Line of Vermont, Vermont Dental Care, Vermont Tobacco Evaluation and Review Board, and Vermont Low Income Advocacy Council. She was also an advisor to the Vermont Governor's Commission on Women. Additionally she worked to provide programs for low-income children. At the federal level, President Clinton appointed Edna to be a member of the board of the Legal Services Corporation, the organization established by Congress to ensure equal access to justice.

At a time when women were just beginning to find their political voice, Edna proved that gender did not have to be a barrier to create change in society. Eric Avildsen, the Executive Director of Vermont Legal Aid, said, “When looking for new members for our board we want a young Edna.” Edna must be seen as a role model for women to advocate for themselves and others, especially for the poor. One hundred years after the passage of the 19th Amendment, we must continue her legacy of standing up for women who have not yet found their own voices.

After the passage of the 19th Amendment in August 1920, Edna Beard of Orange, VT became the first female representative elected to serve in the Vermont Legislature. On a January day in 1921, Representative Smith made a motion that Representative Edna Beard be given a choice of seats. According to the Rutland Herald, “She chose seat number 146, and for a long time no mere man had the courage to select seat no.145, which adjoins hers. The seat stood vacant for over an hour until Horatio Luce of Pomfret took the dare of his fellow members and sat down beside Miss Beard amid a storm of laughter and applause.”

Before Edna took seat no.146, she was a farm owner, the superintendent of schools, and the town treasurer. Before 1920, women in Vermont had the right to cast ballots in school district elections and town elections, but the 19th Amendment opened the door to voting in state and presidential elections, as well as the ability to serve in state and national office. Edna Beard did not waste any time. She was forty-four years old and had a message to deliver.

During Edna's one year term in the House of Representatives, she successfully  sponsored H.57, a bill that would provide monetary support for women whose husbands were incapable of work due to disability or illness. Act 218 guaranteed that children would remain with their widowed or deserted mothers. After serving in the Legislature, she went on to serve in the Vermont Senate in 1923. Her successful Senate bill required that at least one woman deputy  be appointed by the Commissioner of Vermont. If the decision had been left up to the discretion of the Commissioner, zero women may have been hired. The passage of this bill made it possible for women to become police officers in the state of Vermont.

When she left the Senate in 1924, eleven women had entered the door she opened. Today, there are 72 women in the Vermont Legislature out of a total of 180 seats. Edna was urged to run for lieutenant governor, but sadly had to end her term and step out of politics due to her poor health condition. She died at the age of 51 on September 17, 1928. Edna brought insight and voice into the issues previously overlooked by an all-male legislature. As the first woman in the Vermont Legislature, she improved the lives of women and children. The Vermont History Women's Project states that Edna and other early female legislators began the path to better equality for all Vermonters. As women, we need to make sure the path continues for future generations.

Reflecting on my great-grandmother Edna Fairbanks-Williams' life, I have learned she was never afraid to speak her mind, especially when it helped people. Edna used her voice to advocate for legal rights and basic needs for the poor. Her yard and trailer were littered with spare parts, food, and castoff items she could give for free to a needy community member. Eric Avildsen, Executive Director of Vermont Legal Aid, explained that when Edna wanted help or seeked justice for someone, she called repeatedly until she accomplished her goal. With only a high school diploma, she fought for those without a voice, argued with lawyers and politicians; she got laws passed to ensure permanent change for the poor locally, in Vermont, and nationally.

Personally, I only knew my great-grandmother as a child. I remember her always moving, especially if she was doing something productive. She always played with me and my brothers. We were her prized possessions. It was very hard losing her at such a young age because I could have learned so much more from her. In interviewing her coworkers I realized I am so much like her and that we have similar characteristics. I would not wish to be like any other person on the planet. Edna was a woman who was always happy with whatever she had. Money and status meant nothing to her. She had a loving family who would do anything for her. More importantly she never took anything for granted.

Edna left a legacy that will never be forgotten, not just for society, but for me, too. She used her voice to make lasting changes to benefit people. Even now, young women, including me, are moved by her example to use their voices. If it weren't for women gaining the right to vote and being elected into office over the past 100 years, Edna would not have been able to accomplish what she did. As a young woman, I am personally inspired by my great-grandmother's story, not just because she's my great-grandmother, but because she was willing to do whatever it took to do what was right.