Throughout her life, Shotwell fought to improve conditions for disabled people, women and people of color in science. As a chair holder of the education committee of her local NAACP chapter, she led a 40-volunteer initiative to tutor underserved children and the integration of Peoria schools in the 1960s.[12][13][14] She also served as president of the Peoria Chapter of League of Women Voters.[4] Other activity in her local community included consulting on education for an inner city program of the Peoria Area Council of Churches and serving as a board member of a center for the arts and sciences.[15]