One of the organizers and charter members of the National Organization for Women (NOW) Seattle chapter, LaTourelle also served it in several leadership capacities between 1970 and 1980, including a term as president in 1972. LaTourelle was also active in the national organization of NOW, serving as the National Legislative Vice President for two years.
During the decade of the 1970s, LaTourelle also helped to organize and lead a variety of efforts which sought to address several national issues at the city, county and state level, including divorce reform, child care, justice for women offenders, sexism and racism in school textbooks, violence against women, the scarcity of women political candidates, and fair housing and employment.
By professional training, LaTourelle is an architect and associate professor of architecture at the University of Washington. The papers, however, do not document this aspect of her background.
From the guide to the Elaine Latourell papers, 1970-1977, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)
