Annie Rice

Annie Rice is a St. Louis Missouri activist.

Green supporters

When Megan Ellyia Green successfully ran for President of the Board of Aldermen in 2022, her supporters included alderpersons Christine Ingrassia (6th Ward), Annie Rice (8th Ward), Dan Guenther (9th Ward), Jimmy Lappe (11th Ward), Bill Stephens (12th Ward), Anne Schweitzer (13th Ward), Tina Pihl (17th Ward), Shane Cohn (25th Ward), and Mike Gras (28th Ward). Of note also is that three of these alderpersons represent wards Green lost in 2019. Green also has the backing of three members of the St. Louis Board of Education, including its president and fellow DSA endorsee Matt Davis) and the support of at least two state representatives — Rasheen Aldridge and Kimberly-Ann Collins. But by far Green’s biggest backer to date was the mayor herself, Tishaura Jones.^[1]

Bernie fan

2017 Hershel Walker Peace and Justice Awards

A diverse crowd of 170 gathered at the Painter’s Union District Council 58 hall to honor five labor and community leaders receiving the Hershel Walker ‘Peace and Justice’ Awards Breakfast May 13, 2017.

The annual awards breakfast was commissioned to commemorate the extraordinary life of St. Louis trade unionist and civil rights leader Hershel Walker, who dedicated over 60 years to the labor, peace, and justice movements.

The awards ceremony was hosted by the Missouri/Kansas People’s World and the St. Louis Workers’ Education Society.

Members of the Service Employees International Union, Healthcare MO/KS; Coalition of Black Trade Unionists-St. Louis Chapter; IUOE local 148; Laborers’ Local 110; Labor Tribune; SMART Local 36; Painters’ District Council 58; Jobs with Justice; Missourians against the Death Penalty; and Show me $15 attended the breakfast along with: State Representative’s : Peter Merideth (D-80th District), Clem Smith (D-85th District), Cora Faith Walker (D-74th District); 9th Ward Alderman Dan Guenther; 15th Ward Alderwoman Megan Ellyia Green; 20th Ward Committeewoman Wendy Campbell; 8th Ward Committeewoman Annie Rice; 14th Ward Committeewoman Madeline Buthod; and many others. .^[2]

Supporing Peter Merideth

Peter Merideth was supported in his election campaign by Shuron Jones, Tony Pecinovsky, Paul Fehler, Akeem Shannon, and Annie Rice.

Four Wards Forward

In Feb. 2017, as part of the St. Louis Workers’ Education Society’s Four Wards Forward program Shuron Jones and Niles Zee headed-up the WES Votes program in our service communities, Wards 8, 9, 15 and 20.

In all, the WES Votes program mobilized dozens of volunteers to register over 500 people to vote in these Wards, helping to increase voter turnout for St. Louis’ August primary and the November general election.

In fact, our efforts were so successful that newly elected committee, ward and state rep. leaders recognized WES publicly, crediting us with leading the charge, specifically in low-turnout precincts in Wards 8 and 20.

For example, WES member and State Rep. Peter Merideth (80th District) praised WES’s work on Facebook as the St. Louis Democratic Central Committee celebrated a new record for single month registrations. 8th Ward Committee-people Paul Fehler and Annie Rice, as well as Alderwoman Cara Spencer and Committeewoman Madeline Buthod (14th Ward), also thanked WES for its outstanding voter registration efforts.

Moving forward, WES leader, Shuron Jones, is now heading-up the 2017 WES Votes campaign in Ward 9, where the current Alderman voted against the minimum wage increase. While WES cannot and does not endorse candidates, every registered voter in Ward 9 will know where Ortmann stands when it comes to raising working families out of poverty.^[3]

Comrades

Annie Rice April 14 near St. Louis, MO.

With Richard Buthod, Cori Bush, John Theodore, Shelley Buffington Hoffman and Niles Zee.

Nicolas James connection

Nicholas James, Annie Rice.

Infiltrating the Democratic Party after Ferguson

Rasheen Aldridge and Bruce Franks, Jr. are among about a dozen candidates on the August 2 2016 ballot who were inspired to run for office by the Ferguson protest movement. While Franks and others are reaching for state-level offices, many are starting at the basic level as Democratic Party committeepersons.

Committee members’ main responsibilities are to register and educate voters, as well as conduct meetings within their wards, Aldridge said. They also select delegates at these meetings in presidential years. Two committee members are elected from each city ward – one man and one woman.

However, the unpaid position also gives them some authority to influence changes in their community. In the city, they are in charge of selecting candidates to fill vacancies at the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, as well as state legislative districts that include part of the city.

“Ferguson was the straw that broke the camel’s back for many of us," said Ferguson activist Rachel Johns, who is running for Ward 27 committeewoman.

Johns is also among a group of mainly South City progressives who are supporting each other in committee races. They have all been endorsed by Mobilize Missouri, and are Bernie Sanders supporters. Of that group, about 10 are first-time candidates.

“You can’t jump to a national level without getting your feet wet first,” Johns said. “You have to take care of home first.”

Maria Chappelle-Nadal, who is running against incumbent U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, Jr. on the August 2 ballot, has donated at least $1,000 to many progressive candidates for committeeperson, including Aldridge, Betts, Alison Dreith, Matt Carroll-Schmidt, Marty Murray, Jr., Tony Zebrowski, Annie Rice, Max Cassilly, Laura Hladky and Glenn Burleigh.

Chappelle-Nadal also donated to Franks’ campaign, as well as to Johns’ state rep. campaign – before state Rep. Joshua Peters had her removed from the ballot through a residency challenge. Johns is now running against incumbent committeewoman Pamela Boyd.

Alison Dreith is running for an open committee seat in the 6th Ward against Mary Entrup, the wife of Aldermanic President Lewis Reed. Her running mate, Matthew Carroll-Schmidt, is running against state Rep. Michael Butler for the committeeman seat. Carroll-Schmidt, who is an attorney, recently represented the protestors who were arrested during the Donald Trump rally in March.

As a “white ally,” Dreith was on the ground since day two in Ferguson and also joined the Don't Shoot Coalition to push forward fair and impartial policing reforms.

“Getting people engaged and excited about the party, especially the young voters, is really important,” said Dreith, who is the executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri.

Immigration lawyer Annie Rice participated in the first of what would become ongoing community conversations about Ferguson in the Shaw Neighborhood just before VonDerrit Myers Jr. was shot and killed on Oct. 9, 2014 by then-St. Louis Police Officer Jason Flanery.

“I’d protested and worked jail support, but I hadn’t found a good outlet to move policy forward,” Rice said. “The more I tried to engage with our elected officials, the more I realized I wasn’t really getting anywhere.”

Cara Jensen, the current 8th Ward committeewoman, told Rice she was stepping down and encouraged her to run. Her running mate is Tony Zebroski, also a Ferguson activist.

Others who were inspired to run for a committee position after Ferguson include: Torrey Park (Ward 15); Madeline Buthod (Ward 14); and Marty Murray, Jr. (Ward 7).^[4]