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Senators announce more than $50,000 raised to commission Louvenia Dorsey Bright portrait for State House
Summary
A senator announced that donors and citizens have raised more than $50,000 to commission a portrait honoring Louvenia Dorsey Bright, the first Black woman to serve in the Vermont Legislature.
During floor announcements the Senate heard that more than $50,000 has been raised to commission a portrait of Louvenia Dorsey Bright for the State House.
The announcing senator—identified on the transcript as the Senator from Chittenden Central—said the fundraising was made "on behalf of the senator from Chittenden Central, Senator Gulick, and the senator from Windsor, Senator Major, and myself," and that the funds will pay for a request for qualifications and start the commissioning process. The senator said, "This is very far from an April fool's joke. I just thought it was a really good time to announce, some good news about a process that many have been following." The senator added that donations came from Vermonters across the state, and named Northfield Savings Bank and Ben & Jerry's among contributors.
The senator described Louvenia Dorsey Bright as "the first black woman and the first woman of color to serve in the state legislature," and said she was elected in 1988 from South Burlington. The announcement asked interested people to follow the process and reach out with questions. The transcript records the announcement under the chamber's announcements section; it does not record formal Senate action on the portrait commissioning during this session.
