Carmen Delgado Votaw was a civil rights pioneer, a public servant, an author, and community leader. She studied at the
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico ( es, Universidad de Puerto Rico, UPR) is the main public university system in the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is a government-owned corporation with 11 campuses and approximately 58,000 students and 5,3 ...
and graduated from
American University
The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...
in Washington, D.C., with a bachelor of arts in international studies. She was subsequently awarded an honorary doctorate in humanities by
Hood College
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, mottoeng = With Heart and Mind and Hand
, established =
, type = Private college
, religious_affiliation = United Church of Christ
, endowment = $104.5 million (2020)
, president = Andrea E. Chapd ...
in
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in and the county seat of Frederick County, Maryland. It is part of the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area. Frederick has long been an important crossroads, located at the intersection of a major north–south Native ...
.
Career
Votaw was appointed by
President Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1 ...
to serve as cochair of the
National Advisory Committee for Women
The National Advisory Committee for Women (NACW) was a presidential commission established by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. It was renamed the President's Advisory Committee for Women (PACFW), with a reduced mandate, in 1979.
It was the succes ...
. She served as president of the Interamerican Commission of Women of the Organization of American States in 1979–80. The first president of that body, she remains just one of two women from the United States to have served as the commission's president.
During her career, Votaw travelled to more than 80 countries and met with more than 50 heads of state. She was a member of the U.S. delegation to the International Women's Year conference, attending conferences in Mexico City, Copenhagen, Nairobi and Beijing.
Votaw was chief of staff for Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner
Jaime B. Fuster from 1985–91. As the first Hispanic female chief of staff for a Member of Congress, she worked to address the challenges facing 3.5 million Puerto Ricans living on the island and to build a strong network for women in the Federal Government. After leaving the U.S. House of Representatives, she was involved with the Girl Scouts of the USA, United Way of America, and the Alliance for Children and Families.
Votaw was an author of a number of publications on women, including ''Puerto Rican Women: Mujeres Puertorriquenas'', ''Notable American Women'', ''Libro de Oro'', and ''To Ourselves Be True''. These stories highlight the accomplishments of women, particularly Hispanic women, who led remarkable lives and serve as role models for younger women.
Activism
As a defender of civil rights for diverse populations, especially Hispanics, Votaw received the Hispanic Heritage Award for Education, the Mexican American Women's Primeras Award, and numerous awards from NASA, FEW, and national and local civic organizations. Votaw served on the boards of directors of numerous women's organizations, including the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, which she served as national president and president of the DC chapter, the Overseas Education Fund of the League of Women's Voters, the
Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA), commonly referred to as simply Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. Founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, it was organized a ...
, the International Girl Guides, the National Women's Political Caucus and its Appointments Coalition, the Mid-Atlantic Equity Center, and the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education. She was also active with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the Gala Hispanic Theatre, and the Maryland Women's Heritage Center, and she was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
In 1978, Votaw became an associate of the
Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press
Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press (WIFP) is an American nonprofit publishing organization that was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1972. The organization works to increase media democracy and strengthen independent media. Mo
Basic infor ...
(WIFP). WIFP is an American nonprofit publishing organization. The organization works to increase communication between women and connect the public with forms of women-based media.
Awards
In 1992, Votaw was inducted into the
Maryland Women's Hall of Fame
The Maryland Women's Hall of Fame (MWHF) recognizes significant achievements and statewide contributions made by women who are Maryland-natives or state residents. It was established in 1985 by the Maryland Commission for Women and the Women Legisl ...
for her numerous contributions to the community. For her leadership in education, she was a 1996 recipient of the National Hispanic Heritage Award, presented at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In 2007, The National Cuban American Women's Association Award. she earned the Foremother Award from the
National Center for Health Research
The National Center for Health Research (formerly known as the National Research Center for Women & Families) is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization founded in 1999, providing health-related services such as providing free informatio ...
.
In addition, she was recognized by the National Women's History Project for Distinguished Lifetime Achievement in 2014.
References
Online references
Congressional RecordClearinghouse on Women's IssuesTwitterCarmen Delgado Votaw Scholarship: National Conference of Puerto Rican WomenUniversity of Denver: Center for Multicultural Excellence
Newspaper and journal articles
*
National Women's History Project ''Women's History 2014 Gazette'' Vol. 6
Video
* In 2020, she was played by actress
Andrea Navedo
Andrea Navedo is an American actress, singer, and published author. She began her career on the daytime soap operas ''One Life to Live'' (1995–97) and ''Guiding Light'' (1999-2000), and in later years had several supporting roles on primetime te ...
in the Hulu miniseries ''
Mrs. America Mrs. America may refer to;
* ''Mrs. America'' (miniseries), a 2020 US television mini-series
* Mrs. America (contest), a US national beauty pageant
See also
* '' Mr. and Mrs. America'', a 1945 film
* Mr. America (disambiguation)
* Miss America ...
''.
Honoring Carmen Delgado-Votaw and Edna Laverdi – YouTubePuerto Ricans in Public Service-Washington, D.C.TOP OF THE MORNING Carmen Delgado Votaw* Sisters of '77. Directed by Cynthia Salzman Mondell and Allen Mondell. Dallas, Texas: Circle R Media, 2005. DVD.
Votaw, Carmen Delgado. "Carmen Delgado Votaw: Talks about her work in Washington and the Women's Movement", I Care Village video.
Books
* Votaw, Carmen Delgado. ''Puerto Rican Women/Mujeres Puertorriqueñas''. Washington, D.C.: National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, 1995.
* Votaw, Carmen Delgado. "Face to Face with Power." In ''True to Ourselves'', edited by Nancy Neuman, 68–79. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1998.
* Votaw, Carmen Delgado. In ''Feminists Who Changed America, 1963–1975'', edited by
Barbara Love
Barbara Joan Love (February 27, 1937 – November 13, 2022) was an American feminist writer and the editor of ''Feminists who Changed America, 1963–1975''. With the National Organization for Women, Love organized and participated in demonstr ...
and Nancy Cott, 473. (Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 2006).
* Votaw, Carmen Delgado, in ''Notable Hispanic American Women'', 1980
Other
Carter, Jimmy. "National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year, 1975 Appointment of Members and Presiding Officer of the Commission." March 28, 1977
* "Carmen Delgado Votaw." In Notable Hispanic American Women. August 20, 1998. Biography Resource Center.
* "Carmen Delgado Votaw", in Marquis Who's Who™, 2006, Biography Resource Center. Courtesy of the Maryland State Archives.
* Maryland Women's Heritage Center. "Executive Board."
* Montgomery County Commission for Women. "40 Women of Historical Significance in Montgomery County: Carmen Delgado Votaw."
* Carmen Delgado Votaw Papers, Hood College Archives.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delgado Votaw, Carmen
1935 births
2017 deaths
American University alumni
American politicians of Puerto Rican descent
Hispanic and Latino American politicians
Hispanic and Latino American women in politics
People from Yabucoa, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican women in politics