Each year NOW—Peoria honors one of their own members. This year’s recipient of the Women’s History Month Award was given to Elaine Hopkins, an advocate of NOW for decades who was not able to join until recently.
“Betty Friedan made me a feminist when I read her book back in the 1960’s,” Hopkins said. “From then on I have been involved in human rights issues, women’s issues, environmental issues, peace issues.”
Hopkins worked at the Peoria Journal Star for 30 years. Due to conflict of interest as a journalist, often covering NOW activities, she was precluded from joining NOW. Now that she has retired, she has become a member.
As a journalist, she has been honored with awards for investigative reporting and for coverage of environmental issues. In addition to being a journalist, Hopkins taught English at Western Illinois University in Macomb for five years. She holds a master’s degree in American Studies.
In 1992, she combined her journalist and literary expertise to create Downstate Story, which has been honored by the Illinois Arts Council. The Huffington Post has published some of her stories. She is a board member of LWV, secretary of the Peoria ACLU, and an elected Democratic Party precinct committee person. In retirement, Elaine started a blog, “Peoria Story.”
“Women have contributed so much to the history of Peoria. They deserve to be recognized,” she said.”I just got back from a two-week vacation and stopped off in Charleston, SC. They celebrate their history. They preserve their buildings. They have a wonderful museum. They won’t even cut down trees. They are a model for what Peoria could be and have the same population as Peoria. That city celebrates its history. Peoria must be a part of that. And women are such a part of that.”
Hopkins noted that NOW—Peoria has been at the forefront of progressive politics for decades. She concluded by urging, “We should all dedicate ourselves in Peoria to continuing that.”
To read about this year's recipients, click on the links below.
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