Mosie Boyd owns True Grit Law Firm in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She also manages The River Valley Economic Development Council and Madam President PAC, a federal political action committee working to elect women to the U.S. presidency.
Born in Sonoma County, Mosie was raised in Occidental surrounded by cousins and extended family. Her great-great grandfather, Rep. John Barham of Santa Rosa represented California's 1st Congressional District from 1895-1901.
Mosie attended elementary school at Summerfield Waldorf School in Santa Rosa and high school at Sacramento Waldorf School in Fair Oaks. She earned an undergraduate degree in American Civilization from Brown University, a master's degree in National Security Studies from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, and a law degree from the University of Arkansas Little Rock.
During graduate school, as a St. Catherine's College student at Oxford University, Mosie studied former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's leadership. During a law school summer abroad program, she visited five international courts and received top paper in a class co-taught (but not graded by) U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.
After college, Mosie worked for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. As a campaign volunteer in Washington, D.C., Mosie drove Dianne Feinstein and her campaign leaders to special events and TV interviews. After Senator Feinstein's swearing in, Mosie worked in her Senate office helping the interim chief of staff review resumes. When Mosie talked about teaching English in Asia to learn more about its growing economy, Senator Feinstein's husband encouraged Mosie to go to China.
After returning from China to Washington, D.C., Mosie worked her way from Congressional intern to Legislative Assistant for U.S. Representative Corrine Brown (D-Florida). As the Congresswoman's staff member responsible for military and intelligence issues, Mosie enjoyed accompanying a three-star general during a visit to the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville.
During graduate school, Mosie served four missions in Bosnia to supervise voter registration and elections on behalf of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). After graduate school, Mosie served briefly as a summer analyst with the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board reviewing FBI and CIA documents for declassification.
Thereafter, Mosie returned to Sacramento and volunteered on Bill Lockyer's successful campaign for Attorney General. Then she got a job in newly elected Governor Gray Davis's mailroom. A week later, Mosie received a promotion to Special Assistant to the Governor's Chief of Staff.
After a colleague in the Governor's Executive Office informed Mosie that a man doing lower-level work received higher pay, the supportive colleague urged Mosie to ask for fair pay. At first, Mosie dismissed this suggestion in favor of keeping her job. When unfair salary information arrived again the next month, Mosie's colleague insisted that she take action. Reluctantly, Mosie submitted a request to the staff director who handled salaries. During the following meeting, he literally threw a ball at Mosie -- which she caught -- and referenced wishing he could burn people in ovens like books. Almost immediately, Mosie was reassigned out of the State Capitol to the Governor's Office of Planning & Research.
Before leaving the Governor's Office, Mosie noticed that young men were being mentored to run for office but talented young women did not receive the same encouragement. To fill this void, Mosie founded American Women Presidents, a national political action committee dedicated to promoting the election of women to the U.S. presidency.
For 20 years, Mosie has worked diligently to promote the election of women to The White House. She has appeared on CNN's Inside Politics, Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, and C-SPAN's The Road to the White House. Her keynote speeches and published articles include, "America is Ready for a Woman President," "Electing a Woman President," "Commander-in-Chief Credibility," "Participation Brings Power," and "It's Time to Break the Political Glass Ceiling."
On President's Day weekend 2003, Mosie helped launch former Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun's presidential campaign--hosting events with local Democratic leaders in Iowa on Saturday, New Hampshire on Sunday and South Carolina on Monday. Then Carol few back to Chicago and announced her presidential campaign on Tuesday. Carol appeared in The New York Times and other national news outlets with "Ms. President" signs designed by Mosie.
In 2005, Mosie moved to Little Rock to attend law school and help shore up support for Hillary Clinton in Arkansas after the Clinton's moved to New York. Mosie printed "Madam President - January 2009" bumper stickers, handed them out when Hillary visited Arkansas, and finished law school in 2 years and 4 months to be ready to campaign for Hillary in 2008.
After promoting Hillary Clinton for president for 15 years, Mosie knocked on doors for Hillary for America in Iowa, New Hampshire and Ohio from 2015-2016. She also helped launch Hillary's campaign in Arkansas and made the maximum contributions to HFA for the primary and general election cycles. Mosie also designed "Madam President for America" bumper stickers for Madam President PAC and handed them out when Hillary campaigned in Arkansas.
After the November 2016 election, Mosie gave a motivational speech to Executive Women for Her members, highlighting Hillary Clinton's historic victories on behalf of all women. Mosie also posted a special thank you message online at http://www.Madam-President.com/thank-you.html.
On President's Day 2019, Mosie hosted The Madam President Forum at Living History Farms in Iowa. She presented Winning Hearts & Minds for Her (prepared with Executive Women for Her) to representatives of four candidates--Senator Kamala Harris, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Marianne Williamson.
A long-time advocate for women presidential candidates, Mosie continues to promote awareness of the historic campaign to elect women to The White House. The first American woman to run for president announced her candidacy on April 2, 1870. Victoria Woodhull ran in the 1872 election. She and successive candidates deserve our thanks. On April 2, 2020, Mosie Boyd and Madam President PAC (www.madam-president.com/our-history.html) will celebrate the 150-year anniversary of women running for president.
That's a long time to wait our turn!