EMILYs List announced on Tuesday that Michigan Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) is the winner of the organization’s 11th annual Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award. 

“State Sen. Sarah Anthony is a shining example of the undeniable power of Democratic pro-choice women who run, win, and change the world,” said Jessica Mackler, EMILYs List president. “She is a groundbreaking champion for women in Michigan and beyond, and she has been a staunch defender of democracy, reproductive freedom, quality education, and working families. Sen. Anthony represents all of the tenacity and civility that the Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award stands for. We are thrilled to honor her with this year’s award because we know that her future is bright.” 

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EMILYs List, which supports women candidates across the nation who back abortion rights, announced earlier this year that Anthony has been nominated for the award. Giffords, a Democrat, represented Arizona in the U.S. House before she was shot at a 2011 event in her district.  

“It is truly an honor to receive the 2024 Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award,” Anthony told the Advance on Tuesday. “It means so much to me that national organizations like EMILYs List recognize and value the work I’m doing to lower costs for Michigan families, uplift economic justice reforms, and improve access to healthcare and affordable housing for all Michiganders.” 

Anthony is the state’s first Black woman to chair the powerful Appropriations Committee. The 40-year-old graduated from Lansing Everett High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from Central Michigan University and master’s degree in public administration from Western Michigan University. Afterward, she returned to Lansing to work for now-former state Rep. Joan Bauer (D-Lansing). She was elected to the Michigan House in 2018 and the Michigan Senate in 2022. 

Previous Rising Star Award recipients include former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams in 2014 and U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) in 2015. 

“This national recognition showcases the critical progress we are making in Michigan to invest in communities, support working families, and protect bodily autonomy once and for all,” Anthony said. The nation is paying attention to what is happening in Michigan. Thank you to EMILYs List and everyone who voted.”