Elizabeth Horton Sheff is a justice seeker. Throughout her many years of community activism, she has advocated on many civil rights fronts, including championing the rights of persons who reside in public housing; those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS; families marginalized by economic challenges and grandparents raising grandchildren. Horton Sheff is also known for her on-going role as named plaintiff of Sheff vs. O’Neill, the successful landmark civil rights lawsuit, with mandate to provide equal access to quality, integrated public education in Connecticut.
Elizabeth Horton Sheff served on the City of Hartford, Court of Common Council from 1991-1995 and 1999-2001. During her tenure there, Ms. Horton Sheff initiated the “Campaign for Civic Pride,” which resulted in an increase in citizen access to and participation on city boards and commissions; promoted jobs and wealth building opportunities for Hartford residents and businesses in city assisted projects; created and lead the city-wide literary effort “Keep Them Reading” campaign; encouraged community policing through strengthening the city’s Civilian Police Review Board and introducing legislation to place cameras on police patrol vehicles; founded city efforts to house and support grandparents raising grandchildren, and hosted “Community Council,” a monthly public access television show through which she kept Hartford residents informed of resources available and legislative action at Hartford city hall.
Ms. Horton Sheff is a trained licensed nurse and a graduate of the Hartford Seminary Black Ministries Certificate Program. She holds an Associate and a Bachelor’s degree from Charter Oak State College, and a Masters of Education, Educational Technology degree, from the University of Hartford. Ms. Horton Sheff is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance and has developed programming to help persons increase their money management skills.
Ms. Horton Sheff is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including the “Living the Dream Award” from Two Rivers Magnet Middle School, the “President’s Award of Excellence” from the Cricket Hall of Fame, the “Pioneer Woman of the Year” award from Hartford College for Women, and the “Distinguished Sojourner Truth Award” from Tunxis Community College, Office of Minority Affairs, “100 Women of Color, 2015” from ELEVEN28 ENTERTAINMENT, and a Doctorate of Human Letters from the University of Hartford.
Ms. Horton Sheff continues her commitment to the community through her work as Director of Community Services at the Community Renewal Team; as an adjunct professor at Goodwin College, and as the co-chair of the Sheff Movement Coalition: http://sheffmovement.org/.
Elizabeth Horton Sheff is a member of the Hartford Workforce Leaders Academy, Class of 2017-18, one of several Workforce Leadership Academies in localities across North America.
The Workforce Leadership Academies are part of the Economic Opportunity Fellows Network, a network of leadership and fellowship programs run by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program. Within this Network, EOP connects national and local leaders from across sectors — nonprofit, government, business, philanthropy, academia, and more — to advance policies and practices with the potential to help low- and moderate-income Americans thrive in today’s economy. Learn more at as.pn/eofn.