President Biden Awards Medal of Freedom to St. Stephen’s Alum Cecile Richards ’75

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to St. Stephen’s alum Cecile Richards ’75 during a private ceremony at the White House on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.

Richards is the former president of Planned Parenthood and is the daughter of the late Texas Gov. Ann Richards. Richards left the reproductive health care organization in 2018 after leading it for 12 years. 

Biden posted on Instagram that it was his “honor” to award Richards the Medal of Freedom, along with this caption:

“With absolute courage, she fearlessly leads us forward to be the America we say we are – a nation of freedom. Through her work to lift up the dignity of workers, defend and advance women’s reproductive rights and equality, and mobilize Americans to exercise their power to vote, she has carved an inspiring legacy.”

Richards recently posted this on Instagram:

“I was so proud to receive this recognition - especially since it really belongs to countless activists, organizers, and troublemakers I have had the privilege of fighting alongside for abortion rights, workers' rights, voting rights, freedom of expression, economic justice, racial justice, and so much more. It was especially meaningful to hear the President pay tribute to some of the organizers who have taught me the most: my parents; my husband, Kirk; and our three amazing kids. (And, of course, my grandson, Teddy, made his own important contributions to the ceremony.) One of the biggest lessons l've learned as a lifelong organizer is that there are no permanent wins and no permanent losses. We have to fight for every inch of progress, and we can't take anything for granted. That's especially true in challenging moments like the one we find ourselves in now. But what a joy and a privilege it is to be part of the long struggle to make our country a fairer and more hopeful place. After all, as my mother, Ann Richards, used to say: 'Why should your life be only about you?'"

Earlier this year, Richards shared she was battling glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer – the same that killed Biden’s son Beau.

Read the ABC News story on Cecile Richards’ Presidential honor here.

Photo courtesy: President Biden Instagram