31 Days of Revolutionary Women: Cynthia Ann Green

by Bridgette Hempstead

This article was originally published on March 24, 2017, as part of our 2017 series 31 Days of Revolutionary Women and has been reprinted in observance of this year's Cynthia A. Green Day.

According to Dictionary.com, "virtue" is defined as "moral excellence; goodness; righteousness," and "virtuous" is defined as "conforming to ethical and moral principles".So a virtuous woman would be a woman of moral excellence, goodness, and righteousness, conforming to ethical and moral principles.

Cynthia Ann Green: There are not enough words in the dictionary or the Bible to describe this woman.

Cynthia Ann Green is the Virtuous Woman; the dictionary and the Bible only touch on a small part of the description of this woman.

Cynthia stands about 5 feet tall, but, in reality, she is a giant and a stick of dynamite. When she steps outside her door, the world changes; and our lives are so much better with Ms. Cynthia in it. You can find her on any given day giving back to her community without expecting anything back.

In the most recent past, Cynthia ran the Renton Area Youth and Family Services (RAYS) Family Center located in Skyway – now called the RAYS Cynthia A. Green Family Center. The executive director and governing committee members of RAYS unanimously voted to change the name to honor the guidelines set by Ms. Cynthia.

Cynthia Green's was the first face you saw when you walked into the building. She had a presence and an order to this wonderful building that changed the lives of many community members who walked through the door in need, depressed, or heartbroken. But when they shared their needs with this woman, they would leave with all their needs met, and resources to spare if another crisis was to visit that person's door.

Cynthia did not have the title of director, but in reality, she was the director. She ran that building like a million-dollar business located in Skyway. If you ever had the opportunity to visit the center when she was there, you may have walked in the door feeling hopeless — but I promise you were not that way when you left. You left with resources, connections, perhaps food, along with loving and inspiring words from Ms. Cynthia that would resonate in your spirit for the rest of your life.

Many organizations lean on the expertise of this amazing woman, including myself. Let me clarify how. This is what part of her non-paid work week may look like: tutoring twice a week to her little angels, building up the South Seattle Emerald, supporting the Kinship Caregivers, supporting Women United in Skyway, as well as advising many young folks on what direction they may need to go in to advance their education.

While all of this is going on, she has made time to become a co-author of the paper "Community Empowerment Partners (CEPs): A Breast Health Education Program for African-American Women" alongside myself, representing Cierra Sisters. Let me not forget her great contributions to the veterans on a weekly basis. And I know there are other organizations that have experienced this woman's amazing services.

Truly, her family is blessed to have her every day as a true matriarch who stands 5 feet tall.

I just need to say: If you don't know, now you know that Cynthia Ann Green is the Revolutionary Woman the world needs to know and admire.

I am honored to express some of my feelings about this amazing woman who has touched my life.

The South Seattle Emerald is committed to holding space for a variety of viewpoints within our community, with the understanding that differing perspectives do not negate mutual respect amongst community members.

The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the contributors on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the Emerald or official policies of the Emerald.

📸 Featured Image: Cynthia Green manages a raffle table at the Emerald's first anniversary party in 2015. (Photo: Hannah Letinich)