Dates

• Existence: 1948-

Biography

Feminist and activist Sondra Smith (1948- ) began her career with the Iowa Memorial Union Food Service in 1977 as a temporary employee under a job training program for low-income women. Smith worked with the IMU catering service for decades, eventually becoming catering manager. In her role as Catering Manager, Smith designed and oversaw university events, including dedications Pappajohn Pavilion and Pomerantz Center dedications, the Sesquicentennial and Millennium celebrations, and the 2003 visit by President Clinton. She oversaw catering for special events at the university, from weddings to concerts by celebrities including Bob Dylan, Whitney Houston, and Bon Jovi. As catering manager, Smith mentored female employees and advocated for flextime, pay equality, and greater benefits for working mothers. Smith served on the New Pioneer Co-Op's board of directors from 1992 to 1999, including two terms as president, and on the advisory board of the Emma Goldman Clinic. She was also a member of the Women's Liberation Front, as well as the Women's Resource and Action Center She was active in democratic politics and the women's movement. As a working mother of three in the 1970s, she became a staunch advocate for affordable daycare. In 1970, she helped found Dum-Dum day care, a feminist childcare cooperative in Iowa City.

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