Sylvia Stahl Sterne, b. 1933

Sylvia Sterne’s initial impact came as Vice President of NCJW’s Public Affairs Committee under Celia Katz. A tireless advocate, Sterne’s name is penned on letters to legislators and congressmen for public funding for education, adult literacy, reapportionment, home-rule in the Louisiana Constitution, separation of church and state, and intricate legislation that made Civil Rights a reality. Mentored by Margery Stich and Helen Mervis, Sterne was on the Urban League Board and went with them and Jane Goldblum to testify at state legislative hearings in support of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Sterne credits her involvement with “Our Enduring Heritage” for her return to Tulane University for a Masters in English Literature, which then led to a professional career in public health where she was a fierce ally of underserved populations and worked closely with Oretha Castle Haley. One of her proudest achievements was writing the legislation that paved the way for school-based health centers in Louisiana.