We mourn the loss and celebrate the monumental life of Ruby Duncan (June 7, 1932 – April 26, 2026), a fierce visionary who transformed the landscape of economic justice in America, and the center of WMM release STORMING CAESARS PALACE (dir. Hazel Gurland-Pooler). A fearless organizer and the heart and soul of the Las Vegas Welfare Rights Movement, Ruby proved that poverty is a policy choice, not a personal failing. She led the storming of the Strip in 1971, forcing the world to look at the mothers and children the system tried to leave behind. Through Operation Life, she turned a closed casino into a community powerhouse, bringing healthcare, food, a library, and dignity to West Las Vegas.
Ruby’s organizing power reached far beyond Nevada. Alongside Mary Wesley, Alversa Beals, and low-income mothers across the country, she helped form the National Welfare Rights Organization to fight for an adequate income, dignity, and justice. Together, they introduced a Guaranteed Income campaign in 1969, which, with feminist Gloria Steinem at their side, became part of the Democratic platform in 1972. She took on the Nevada political establishment and organized crime alike, grounded in the conviction that “poor” is not a four-letter word and that collective action is the most powerful tool we have.
Women Make Movies is honored to carry Ruby’s story forward through STORMING CAESARS PALACE, which chronicles her extraordinary life using lost archival material and celebrates her courage, tenacity, and vision. Ruby built a better seat at the table for everyone. We extend our deepest love to her family and the generations of activists she mentored. Rest in power, Ruby.
