The Peggy Browning Fund Summer Newsletter 2021

Margaret A. (Peggy) Browning A Beacon for Workers’ Rights Our namesake was, by all accounts, an exceptional person whose life and qualities left their mark upon the legal community and on the national scene. Born in Tennessee and educated at Swarthmore and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Peggy was a creative and dynamic attorney. While her name could have graced the masthead of any mega law firm, she chose to devote her energies to workers’ rights. In her defense of workers’ interests, she never lost a case in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Peggy was tirelessly focused on issues such as union representation, fair and equal pay and decent working conditions. Her achievements strongly justified President Clinton’s nomination of her as the first union-side lawyer in history to be appointed to the National Labor Relations Board. The Peggy Browning Award is presented annually to social justice champions who have distinguished themselves with passion and dedication to the rights and needs of workers and their families. MISSION STATEMENT: The Peggy Browning Fund educates and inspires the next generation of advocates for workplace justice. Through fellowships, workers’ rights conferences, networking and other programs, the PBF provides unique opportunities for law students to work for economic and social justice. 2 A Changing of the Guard After 20 years of extraordinary and excellent service to the Peggy Browning Fund, Mary Anne Moffa is stepping down as executive director. Thankfully, Mary Anne will continue working as a consultant on special assignments and helping our new executive director get settled. I started the Peggy Browning Fund in 1997, wanting to memorialize a great person, my wife, Peggy Browning. As Peggy’s survivor, I had the idea of creating a legacy in her name to the labor movement. At that time, I was a practicing lawyer who had no experience in running a non-profit organization. I followed my instincts and we placed our first class of fellows in 1998. Shortly thereafter, I hired a part-time executive director to help in managing PBF and who left in 2001. I remember interviewing Mary Anne then. She accepted the position with the caveat that she would only stay for 2 years. We had no other employees at the time, save for me as the volunteer president. Little did we realize we were a formidable team. Mary Anne took over the day-to-day management of PBF. She and I developed a wonderful synergy. For the next several years, Mary Anne had only a few hours a week of part-time and volunteer helpers until we finally hired a full-time assistant in 2006. We were a special complement to each other, like 2 + 2 = 6. I was much older than Mary Anne, but our backgrounds are similar. Mary Anne’s dad was a plumber, my dad was a cutter in a lady’s dress factory. We both graduated from Temple University. Prior to PBF, I had no experience in fundraising. Mary Anne had worked for over 20 years as an executive director for a non-profit and was experienced in fundraising. One of her first experiences was as a door-to-door saleswoman for the Fuller Brush Company (“If you got a no, there was always another door to knock on”). In 2010, Rhonda was hired as director of development and marketing, lifting part of the load for fundraising off of Mary Anne and myself. Mary Anne has all the skills an executive director should possess and more. Her execution of those skills is excellent. You name the activity and you know she’ll do it well. Our staff now has 4 employees. Mary Anne is their boss as well as their protector. The success of PBF is due in great part to the close working relationship we have formed. Both Mary Anne and I have ‘grit’. In our way, we are tough. Any problem is regarded as a new opportunity. Mary Anne and I are a great team. Over the years we have developed a strong relationship and the two of us working together make us both stronger. I look forward to continue working with Mary Anne forever! Joseph Lurie President and Founder The Fight for Workplace Justice Needs Lawyers! Make certain there are opportunities for bright, progressive law students to fill that need. Become a Friend of Peggy Browning at www.peggybrowningfund.org/make-a-donation

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