Upon Gloria Steinem’s death last week, National Organization for Women national president Kim Villanueva called her outspoken, courageous, brilliant and tenacious, a feminist warrior whose voice helped transform the women’s rights movement.

The journalist-turned-activist was like the godmother of the women’s movement, said Lee County NOW president Nancy Terreri.

"This was an amazing person who had such a big impact on all of our lives, whether you were a follower of hers or not," Terreri said.

"And from back in the '60s, she came forward telling her own story and being a really good listener to hear other women's stories and then to take those stories and help advocate for those issues and eventually help turn them into policy and laws, which we all benefit from."

Kari Lerner grew up in Southwest Florida and is here again. She was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2017 and 2018 and said Steinem was among the women who inspired her to seek office. Lerner recalls meeting her 10 years ago, when Steinem was campaigning for Hillary Clinton.

"One of the things that struck me about Gloria Steinem was I had always been told that, oh, all these feminists, they're shrill and they're man haters. And, I mean, that was the culture here."

Meeting Steinem and hearing her speak told a different story.

"And what I found most stunning and striking about Gloria Steinem was how softly she spoke. She would capture the room and just speak plainly and speak truthfully and with power. And it was very inspirational to me.

"And she was just so warm.

"Growing up here, the whole thing was, boys don't like girls that are too smart or boys don't like girls who, you're too intimidating ... and, she gave us permission to be who we are and to be all that we could be."

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