Judy Norsigian ’70 Awarded PBHA Robert Coles ‘Call of Service’ Award

Judith L. Norsigian ’70, who co-founded the women’s health nonprofit Our Bodies, Ourselves, received the Phillips Brooks House Association’s Robert Coles “Call of Service” award on Friday.

Massachusetts State Senator Elizabeth “Liz” Miranda, Diana Namumbejja Abwoye — who chairs the nonprofit’s board of directors — and Alta Mauro, Harvard College’s associate dean for inclusion and belonging, introduced Norsigian and presented the award, which is given to people who have dedicated their lives to public service.

“We are honoring you, Judy, because we too, understand the intersectionality of inequity and the multiple ways in which we must show up to support women in the journey to understanding our bodies and ourselves and to improve our quality of life in such a tumultuous and scary time,” Miranda said.

In her acceptance speech, Norsigian — best known for authoring and editing nine editions of “Our Bodies, Ourselves,” a book on women’s health and sexuality — talked about the importance of collaboration and finding allies in social advocacy work.

“It’s not always easy, but finding good allies along the way can make a huge difference,” she said. “One of the reasons Our Bodies, Ourselves had such staying power over the past 55 years was because the scientists as well as the staff and board members who joined the organization along the way recognize the value of such collaborations and collective effort.”

Norsigian also said advocacy groups need to listen and learn from those for whom the policy has a real-world impact.

“If you’re really advocating policy changes, then those most affected by those policies need to be part of the initial conversations that lead to proposed solutions,” she said. “When we first started fighting the practice of shackling incarcerated women during labor — and yes, its practice still continues in most parts of this country — the initial input from prison guards, women who are imprisoned, and prison advocacy organizations was all valuable, ultimately leading to legislative intervention that was necessary for more permanent change.”

PBHA President Cody A. Vasquez ’25 said Norsigian was chosen for the award as a model for impactful social advocacy.

“Judy in particular — we felt like she just met this moment so perfectly,” Vasquez said. “She’s teaching us how, as students, we can get involved with activism and things that we care about to make meaningful differences.”

Azalea Lee Thompson ’27, who attended the event, said her mother gave her a copy of “Our Bodies, Ourselves” — adding that the impact the book had on her inspired her to come to the ceremony.

“So many across the world have been impacted by this book and by the work of Judy,” she said.