By Jennifer Marino
Gillespie has carried on the tradition of activism and trailblazing in her career. She was editor-in-chief of Essence when she was 26 years old. From 1971-1980, she helped transform the magazine, which is now one of the fastest growing women's magazines in the country. In 1980 she became a contributing editor to Ms. Magazine, later becoming editor-in-chief from 1993-2001.
She was also the president of Liberty Media for Women, LLC, the company that bought and now runs Ms. Currently, Gillespie still contributes to Ms. and works as a lecturer.
Outside her writing career, Gillespie has served as a member of the board of directors of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. It was this role that brought her to the Planned Parenthood of Nassau County Annual Luncheon in Garden City on Sept. 30. As the keynote speaker she urged her listeners, including County Executive Tom Suozzi, to put their principles into practice in their daily lives.
Gillespie's address built upon a Symposium held earlier in the day
entitled, "Reproductive Rights -- Are all Voices at the Table?" She talked about the value of diversity of all cultures, ages, religions, sexualities and sensibilities.
"Comfortable is not necessarily the best place to be," she said, asking attendees to put themselves in uncomfortable positions where they are the minority whether it be in race or opinion. "We don't push ourselves enough," she said.
Her roots
The Gillespie/Young family helped shape Rockville Centre. Her
grandmother, Rosa Lee Young, came to the village in 1900. She and her husband, Charles Remsen Young, were one of the first African-American homeowners in the village. Rosa Lee Young helped organize the school boycott and was a founder of Shiloh Baptist Church. The Rosa Lee Young Childhood Center is named in her honor.
Ethel May Young Gillespie and Charles Gillespie, Marcia's parents,
founded the West End Civic Association and helped with voter registration in their community. Ethel May, who graduated from South Side High School in 1932, was president of the PTA and fought to integrate the teachers of Rockville Centre.
This community-minded family made it "clear how important service is," said Gillespie.
A graduate of South Side High School, Gillespie, 58, says growing up she learned, "You better speak up."
In 1962, when she left for Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, IL,
Gillespie's family left Rockville Centre for Hempstead. When asked what she might say if asked to return to her alma mater and speak at a SSHS graduation, she said she would ask the kids to look around. Rockville Centre can be a pair of "rose tinted glasses" as far as equality and integration, she said, and Gillespie hopes that the students would choose to live in the real world and do something about the lack of equality out there.
She added that she would appeal to students to be "good citizens of the world." But, as she opened her keynote address to Planned Parenthood, "It's always good to come home."
