Dr. Alicia Alexander Honored by Governor JB Pritzker

“Support the Girls helps give women their dignity.”–Dr. Alicia Alexander

Governor JB Pritzker recently hosted a Women’s History Month celebration at the Capitol. The celebration honored the work of women leaders across the state. Among the state’s important leaders, Pritzker honored Dr. Alicia Alexander, professor in the Department of Applied Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Alexander was recognized for her work as a professor and for her non-profit work, Support the Girls.

Support the Girls is an international network of around fifty affiliates, with Alexander being one of them. The goal of the non-profit is to collect and distribute essential items including bras, underwear, and menstrual hygiene products. “I felt that this side of the river really needed some help so I decided to start a Support the Girls in Edwardsville,” commented Alexander. She launched the Edwardsville affiliate in May 2016 and has since donated to over fifty different organizations. “We have donated to homeless, anti-sex trafficking organizations, shelters, pantries, and so many other places. The really neat thing about all of this is that it is a community project–there are so many volunteers that come forward to help.”

What does hosting an event involve? Alexander first sorts donated items in her home and then sets them up in a room, displaying items like unloved bras, new packages of underwear, and feminine hygiene products. Women have the opportunity to get properly measured and take home 2-3 bras, new underwear, and bags with a variety of monthly supplies. “When I go to a bra sitting event, I see a lot of tears and hugs. Many of the women are single mothers and they do not have the money to buy the items that we provide. Support the Girls helps give women their dignity.”

Alexander has donated over 10,000 bras, 2500 pairs of new underwear, and over 185,000 feminine hygiene products to more than 50 organizations and resource fairs. She is the faculty leader for Support the Girls-SIUE, the student organization on campus. She has had various groups approach her about the non-profit. If anyone is interested in getting involved, you can contact her.

Alicia Alexander, Ph.D.

Office: Alumni Hall, Room 3112

Phone: 618.650.3069

Email: aalexan@siue.edu

 

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