Monica Raye Simpson

Monica Raye Simpson is the Executive Director of SisterSong, the southern-based national Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. Monica is a proud, queer NC native and graduate of Johnson C Smith University, a historically black university (HBCU) based in Charlotte, NC. For over 20 years, Monica has been organizing for LGBTQ liberation, civil and human rights, and sexual and reproductive justice. As a creative and cultural strategist, Monica lives by the charge set by Nina Simone that says, “It's an artist's duty to reflect the times.” She is deeply committed to using the power of cultural organizing to educate the masses and dismantle systems of oppression. Monica was named a New Civil Rights Leader by Essence Magazine and was named as one of TIME 100’s most influential people of 2023.