ST. LOUIS – To start a year of exciting and unprecedented horizons following the passage of Amendment 3, which enshrined abortion access and the broad right to reproductive freedom in Missouri’s Constitution, Abortion Action Missouri introduces new board leadership: Karissa Anderson-Whitted as AAM Board President and Hon. Alisha Sonnier as AAM Board Vice President.
Karissa Anderson-Whitted is a communications strategist, organizer, and trainer dedicated to building power for Black people. With training in communications, social work, and community organizing, and as a self-taught graphic and web designer, Karissa uses her skills to help build self-governing communities. She is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University and has earned an MSW from Saint Louis University. She currently serves as the Communications Manager for Action St. Louis. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the Gamma Omega Chapter. Karissa also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Deaconess Foundation.
Hon. Alisha Sonnier is a public servant, mental health advocate, leader, and visionary who is passionate and dedicated to all things community empowerment, social justice, and liberation. As 7th Ward Alderwoman in the City of St. Louis, she has helped pass historic legislation toward housing, fair wages, and reproductive freedom, and is committed to moving St. Louis to do better for all of us. Alisha has served on the Abortion Action Missouri board since 2022.
Anderson-Whitted said of her role as President, “I am extremely proud to have been elected to serve as AAM’s next Board President. The organizing, policy, and electoral work we have done has made a significant impact in Missouri and the midwest. AAM fought hard to end Missouri’s abortion ban, leaving reproductive healthcare decisions where they belong – with the people. This is a significant moment in the history of our organization. The work ahead will not be easy–but building on a solid foundation–we are ready.”
On her new Vice President role, Sonnier said, “Being a board member for Abortion Action Missouri, and the work we’ve done statewide to protect Missourians constitutional right of abortion access and reproductive freedom is one of my proudest accomplishments of 2024. I’ve said it before I’ll say it again–the choice of an abortion is a healthcare decision, which is NONE of the government’s business. I’m proud to have been chosen as Vice President of AAM’s Board and I look forward to the work ahead. We’ve done historic work, but have much more to do around Reproductive Justice and I’m honored to play a leading role.”
Under Anderson-Whitted and Sonnier’s guidance, we know the future of abortion rights and reproductive freedom will be even brighter, bolder, and more collaborative than ever before.
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Abortion Action Missouri is the leading grassroots pro-abortion advocacy organization in Missouri and works to foster and sustain a Midwest movement for control of our bodies, lives, and futures. We envision a world with stigma-free abortion access and reproductive freedom.