CHANGING THE NARRATIVE: HOW RAYA KENNEY IS HONORING THE WOMEN OF WWII

BY AMANDA CRUZ BETA OMEGA 2018 /MONMOUTH

Raya Kenney (Epsilon Tau 2023/Kenyon) is passionate about history, equality, and social justice. Growing up in Washington D.C., Raya learned at a young age about the many American women who contributed to the homefront during the Second World War but were not recognized for their efforts.

In the 5th grade, she was assigned a project to build a model monument for someone who had yet to be recognized. Raya had just watched the film A League of Their Own and was immediately hooked on the WWII time period.

From there, she began researching and learning about over 18 million civilian women who worked on the homefront during WWII. Raya was inspired to make a change and felt it was important to create widespread awareness for those women. Raya’s teacher saw her finished model and said, “You should try to get this built.”

Her 10-year-old self thought that was a brilliant idea (21-yearold Raya still agrees!), and here we are eleven years later. Many monuments herald men, and so few herald women.

Raya is all smiles as a member of AΣT promotes wider social recognition for these hard-working women. The Foundation’s primary goal is to fund and build a Washington D.C. monument dedicated to all WWII women whose work and activities aided the war effort.

Since starting her organization, many people have taken notice. Raya’s mission has been profiled by The Washington Post, CBS, and multiple other publications, and she has met with members of Congress who have publicly championed her cause.

Raya is both the founder and CEO of a non-profit organization called The National Memorial to the Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation, which

In 2022, after years of hard work, the Senate passed the “Women Who Worked on the Home Front World War II Memorial Act,” and in late December, President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan act into law. To celebrate, Raya was invited to the 2023 State of the Union Address as Congresswoman Eleanor Norton’s (D-DC) guest, who had initially introduced the bill in the House.

During the State of the Union Address, Raya had the amazing experience of watching President Biden speak. She was filled with joy and happiness as she realized a major milestone of her childhood dream came true after years of hard work and dedication. Yet, she also knows the work doesn’t stop now.

Raya is continuing to build her foundation in hopes of spreading more awareness and gratitude for these women who served on the American homefront during WWII. While it is Raya’s hope that the monument be built near the National Mall in D.C., currently no federal funds have been allotted to the project. Due to this, fundraising will play a large part in Raya’s future efforts for her foundation.

In her personal life, she has just finished her sophomore year as an Art History major at Kenyon College, located in Gambier, Ohio. Raya joined Alpha Sigma Tau as a new member in late fall 2022 and was initiated into the Epsilon Tau Chapter in the spring semester.

So, why did she choose AΣT? When Raya received her bid, she found herself smiling.

It immediately felt like a wonderful sense of community. The people were so kind and supportive. Never once did I find myself trying to be someone I wasn’t — AΣT was sort of an immediate click.

Since joining, her grin has only widened. Raya currently holds multiple leadership roles: she serves as the Vice President of Community Relations and Director of Academic Success for her chapter, President of the Art History Student Advisory Board, and is a member of her school’s Greek Council.

Raya “Defines Excellence” as being kind to herself when she needs to ask for help, relying on friends and mentors for guidance, and being gentle when she knows she is not the expert in the room.

While learning AΣT’s core values, Raya most related to Graciousness because authenticity and the embodiment of kindness seem to present themselves most regularly in her life. She always remembers her goals and the work that has already been done to get to this point and reminds herself that things do not always come easy.

Defining Excellence doesn’t mean perfection… nothing gets done without kindness to others and to oneself.

With support from the public and her family, friends, and the members of the Epsilon Tau Chapter, Raya is paving the way toward acknowledgment and admiration for over 18 million overlooked women who made history. Raya Kenney herself is a woman of distinction and is determined to make a change in the world.

Raya’s this or that: