Picture it... Alexander City, Alabama, 1947.
A little girl named Simmie Gaddis enters the world on March 31, 1947, born to Simmie Gaddis and Terecie (Burns) Gaddis. She is one of ten children, growing up in a big family where you quickly learn to speak up, stand your ground, and make sure your voice is heard. Two of her siblings would pass away in infancy, and Simmie would grow up alongside her eight other siblings.
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