2022 LEGISLATIVEANNUALCONFERENCE SPECIAL ISSUE
Austin Cooper, Our House Editor
Nicole Austin Hillery President and CEO Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.
During our five-day conference, we will examine various issues and solutions that we face on a global scale and in our local communities. You will engage the 58 mem bers of the Congressional Black Caucus, African American state and local leaders, in fluential entrepreneurs and business owners, community advocates, religious leaders, educators, health professionals, environmentalists, and many others who have proven that we can change the world!
Kayla Benjamin, (Environmental Justice Reporter) Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Sam P.K. Collins, Will Ford (Prince George’s County Editor), Curtis Knowles, Brenda Siler, Lindiwe Vilakazi, Sarafina Wright, James Wright
Denise
McNeir, Senior Editor
Angel Johnson, Admin. Asst.
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Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor
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With great enthusiasm, I have the privilege and honor of welcoming you back in person to the Con gressional Black Caucus Foun dation's (CBCF) 51st Annual Legislative Conference (ALC). As CBCF's newly appointed president and CEO, I look forward to meeting you and sharing the electrifying experi ence of ALC!
REPORTERS
Lafayette Barnes, IV, Editor, WI Bridge DC
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As our most significant fund raiser, we are grateful for your presence, and I look forward to engaging you during ALC and throughout the year.
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Greetings
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As you join us back in Washing ton, D.C., for this lively conference, you will witness a renewal of energy around salient challenges and opportunities facing our community and the next generation. The theme 'Advancing our Purpose. Elevating our Power.' is a clarion call for us to engage in meaningful action and spark Black civic engagement. It is more crucial than ever that we make our voice felt as we enter a pivotal election season in November.
At ALC, your voice will be heard in motivational sessions with our nation's prom inent thought leaders and during our National Town Hall meeting. You will be in spired by the valiance of our Phoenix Awards winners, and by the rousing spirit at our National Day of Healing. In addition, you will interact with our outstanding CBCF Fellows and interns who are the foundation for all the work we do here at the CBCF.
Rolark Barnes D.STAFFKevin
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When Presidential-nominee Warren Harding addressed the nation in 1920 concerning those issues he believed threatened to destroy the country from within, it was a clarion call encouraging Americans to return to customs.
Also, remember that every elec tion is local. When we consider that everyday interactions are po litical – like those residents across the country who battled local mer chants with “Don’t Shop Where You Can’t Work” protests – we take voting for aldermen, councilmem bers, ward representatives, and mayors more seriously.
Dr. Shantella Y. Sherman WI Special Editions Editor
In recent years Americans have overwhelmingly disconnected from the voting process with a mere 126 million votes counted in the 2016 presidential election – represent ing about 55 percent of voting age citizens. This meant that even as poll watchers celebrated the uptick from 53.5 percent in 1996, only about half of the nation’s eligible voters bothered to participate in the
election process.
The concept of “normal” only exists for a nation inside the pa rameters of each citizen taking seri ously their civic duties, particularly, voting and jury service. Ironically, these are the two obligations taken most for granted and unceremoni ously set aside regularly in recent history.Never forget that there was a time when Black people in Amer ica were not allowed to serve on juries. African Americans were also not allowed to bring charges against a white person for a crime or testify against a white person in court. Today, a single Black person seated on a jury could be the dif ference between an indictment or a release – a custodial sentence or a fine – life or death. Do your civic duty and answer the jury summons when it arrives. This is your moral and civic obligation. Exercise your right as a U.S. citizen.
Harding’s equipoise may be needed, but will voting turn the tide toward healing?
into the ongoing war for race equi ty in areas of health, housing, edu cation, and economics and prison reform.Nomore whining, whingeing, or waffling.Thisis the District of Colum bia where we continue to fight for Home Rule. Residents elect a non-voting Delegate to the US House of Representatives who can draft legislation but cannot vote. We have no voice in Senate Com mittees or on the Senate Floor. Ad ditionally, District residents have no say in the determination of who should serve as leadership for feder al agencies, serve as U.S. Ambassa dors to foreign countries, sit on fed eral court benches, or serve in the U.S. Supreme Court. This is true even for the federal courts within D.C.'sAgain,boundaries.thereisno excuse not to
justment; not surgery, but serenity; not the dramatic, but the dispas sionate; not experiment, but equi poise...” he said. Those concerns – a century ago -- included pro hibition, interwar year economic malaise, the ongoing Spanish flu epidemic, and white mob violence in the form of race riots across the country that brought death and destruction to once-peaceful com munities.Morethan 100 years later, many carry similar sentiments and con cerns in tow and crave more than anything, a return to something that resembles “normal.” In addi tion to political divisiveness and a surge in social unrest, the U.S. faces financial uncertainty, an unrelent ing health pandemic, and the re sulting loss of social mobility.
Equipoise: Civic Engagement with a Purpose
Not only are federal and state politicians voted into office, but so too are judges, sheriffs, prosecutors, school boards, and public housing boards. Imagine how many of the dis parities in polic ing, mass incar cerations, school funding, and hous ing equity could be addressed if voters pulled the ballot lever for candidates committed to Don’tchange.like the candidates? Well, welcome to America. Run yourself! Encourage someone who has the grit to get in and do the job to run for office and then support them all the way to victory. This is a democ racy and one of the few places on the planet where you can pencil in a name on a ballot. Hell, you can even pencil in your own name!
If those you have elected to of fice are not putting your needs and those of the communities they serve before their own interests –vote them out of office. It is late in the day. No popularity, terms of service, swag, or smooth talking can necessarily lead the charge of battle
vote (or serve on jury duty).
Dr. Shantella Sherman
As you enjoy the Congressional Black Caucus Fund’s Annual Leg islative Conference, be reminded of your civic duty to fight the good fight, always, with a purpose that protects your future and that of your progeny.
“America's present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration; not agitation, but ad
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least once a year during which we take on the task of being problem solvers.”“This annual gathering has al ways been about our coming to gether as a Black community and having frank discussions about the issues we face. Certainly, we all like to have fun and there’s probably no conference that takes place in the District which does not include ancillary events that provide some level of fun.”
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“It is an honor to join the CBCF at this critical moment when strong policy and leadership develop ment on a host of critical issues such as racial justice, economic empowerment, public safety and education will help further advance the important work of the Foundation and its impact on the Black community.”
members of Congress, others as ex ecutives for major corporations or leaders for governments at the state and local levels. So, more than any thing else, we continue to support the development and support of Black leadership.”“Wehavea lot of import ant work to do on behalf of Black America. And it will take the village to get the work done,” Austin-Hillery said. For more about the ALC and how to participate, in per son or virtually, visit www.cbcfinc.org. WI @mcneirdk
“But beyond the excitement, we realize that this is a significant moment for Black Americans, We are facing some truly critical issues that threaten the Black community. We need to provide support to our community and develop policies that will be effective in resolving the challenges which we collectively face.”“Many people don’t realize that ALC serves as the largest Black pub lic policy forum in the nation – one which brings together Black advo cates, thinkers, grassroots folks and members of Congress together at
the ALC, alreadyoutbewillconversationsthesecontinuetoheldthroughtheyear.We’vegathered in Detroit and in D.C. and before year’s end we’ll be in Tulsa.”
provided research and strategic in formation as well as educational tools for Black Americans.”
as
In an exclusive interview, held just days before the start of the Con ference with Denise Rolark Barnes, publisher of The Washington In former, Austin-Hillery shared more about the Conference and her goals.
“I’m excited about the upcoming ALC which counts as the first time we’ve gathered in person since the pandemic,” she said. “People are excited and our phones have been ringing off the hook and the emails have been popping.”
Nicole Austin-Hillery Takes the Helm as CBCF’s New President and CEO
“We remain committed to pro viding scholarships and fellow ships for interns – young men and women [of color] who will gain significant experience while working un der the tute lage of rowoftheemergepeoplethosethatAndCongress.membersBlackofwetrustmanyofyoungwillasleaderstomor–some
“When the CBCF was found ed in 1976 by a handful of Black members of Congress whose numbers have since grown to more than 50, it was established to serve as a leadership pipeline for Black America. Since then, we have
D. Kevin McNeir WI Senior Editor
One of those leaders, Nicole Austin-Hillery, while no stranger to ALC or to the workings of the Foundation, assumed the helm ear lier this year as the new CBCF pres ident and Austin-HilleryCEO. brings extensive policy, legal, advocacy and media experience to the position includ ing more than 20 years of providing leadership and strategic counsel on a range of policy issues – from civil and international human rights to voting rights and criminal justice reform. Shejoins the CBCF after her pre vious role as the executive director of the U.S. Program of Human Rights Watch (HRW). Before HRW, the Howard University School of Law and Carnegie Mellon University graduate served as the first director and counsel of The Brennan Cen ter for Justice, Washington, D.C. office.Austin-Hillery said she realizes there’s no time to waste as African Americans today face significant challenges – some decades in the making, others coming to the fore front more recently in our nation’s history – all of which must be con fronted head on and resolved.
51stAnnual Legislative Conference’sTheme: “Advancing Our Purpose – Elevating Our Power”
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“But the genesis of the Confer ence and the purpose for which it is held is for us to step forward
as problem solvers. We need to address the issues and then move toward finding solutions. Over the past two years, economics and health disparities have risen to the top of the list. But they were there long before COVID. However, the pandemic brought these and other issues into greater focus for the rest of the “Andnation.”thereare other issues which we must address as we seek to lev el the playing field: reparations, debt and voting rights serve as just a few. In a season where primaries are wrapping up and with general elections taking place in November, we know America has some who hope to move into positions as to morrow’s governors or senators who do not have the best interests of the Black community at heart.”
“Knowledge is power. And the focus of our conference remains how to fix the problems which have long thwarted the Black commu nity. So, while we will facil itate conversations that we believe are crucial during
Leaders of the 2022 conference –an event which marks the 51st ALC and 51 years of the Congressional Black Caucus – have chosen the theme, “Advancing Our Purpose –Elevating Our Power.”
“It is an honor to join the CBCF at this critical moment when strong policy and leadership devel opment on a host of critical issues such as racial justice, economic empowerment, public safety and education will help further ad vance the important work of the Foundation and its impact on the Black community,” Austin-Hillery said in the press release.
After a two-year interruption of in-person events due to COVID-19, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) has returned to Washington, D.C., kicking off on September 28 and continuing through October 2.
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Kyilah Terry is a Chicago, IL native and her family’s immigrant roots serves as her motivation and advocacy for multiple policy agendas including im migration reform and human rights. Kyilah earned a B.A. in International Studies from UCLA in 2019 and an M.A. in International Relations with a concentration in asylum policy from Georgetown University in 2021. During her graduate studies, Kyilah also worked as an intern and research assistant at the Council of Foreign Relations (CFR), the Migration Policy In stitute (MPI), and the Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM), where she focused on forced displacement and migration management with a regional focus in Europe and Africa.
Chase JudiciaryMooreFellow
The CBCF Congressional Fellowship Program
The CBCF Congressional Fellowship Program equips early career policy professionals who are committed to contributing to public policy with the necessary skills to become the next generation of leaders in public service. The program is an intensive 12-month policy training and leadership development program which enables fellows to receive hands-on public policy training as full-time legislative aides and policy analysts. Fellows are paid an annual salary plus benefits. Participants must reside in or relocate to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and are responsible for their own travel, housing, and other living expenses.
Paige Jones, LMSW is a professional MACRO social worker, who resides in Washington, D.C. Paige was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Paige earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Howard University and most recently, her Master’s in Social Work from UMD-Baltimore. As a social worker in public policy, Paige looks forward to expanding the scope of what social workers can do and elevate the way we are perceived. Having recently completed a year-long public policy internship with the National Association of Social Workers, Paige worked on federal policy, advocacy, and research with a focus on racial inequality regarding somatic health, behavioral health, and the social determinants of health. Paige is deeply motivated and passionate about racial equity, justice, and health-related policy.
Dr. Hilary Carruthers (she/her), DrPH, MSW is a public health profes sional and social worker from Atlanta, Georgia. Her research areas include childhood obesity and physical education policy, where her findings high light the association between socioeconomic status and physical educa tion outcomes. Hilary aspires to improve child and maternal health while eliminating disparities. Her work experience includes youth development, non-profits, evaluation, and time spent in the United Kingdom where she advocated for children in foster care. She currently serves her local community as Board Chair of 7 Pillars Career Academy, an Atlanta area charter school that aims to destroy the school-to-prison pipeline. Hilary obtained her Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, Master of Social Work, and Doctor of Public Health from The University of Georgia.
Christopher Koya Energy Fellow
Christopher Oluseyi Koya was born in Jos, Nigeria and grew up in Mont gomery and Prince George’s County in Maryland. He is an economist and public policy practitioner who is passionate about making the policy process more accessible and understandable for vulnerable and underserved commu nities. His ambitions include the pursuit of a career that enables him the opportunity to be actively involved in the creation and implementation of policies that have a direct and positive impact on society, primarily through personal interaction and collaboration with those who stand to be most af fected by policy solutions. His policy interests stem from witnessing the technical and regulatory challenges that exist whilst providing energy solutions to meet the demands of Africa’s most popu lous nation while with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) as well as nearly a decade spent residing in the country.
Gabriel Smith serves as a Health Policy Fellow with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Previously, Smith worked with the National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) where he managed the execution of Community Services Block Grants designed to improve the national Community Action Network’s capacity to apply intersectional lenses to the causes of poverty in their respective communities. Topics explored under the community grant include: Health Intersections with Poverty, Homelessness Prevention, Trauma Informed Approaches, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and Social Determinants of Health. Prior to his time at NCAP, Smith worked with Learning for Justice at the Southern Poverty Law Center. In that role, Smith led the curation and dissemination of K-12 classroom resources for a national audience of educators.
Marcel Ano Akhame is a Nigerian immigrant who moved to Dallas, Texas in 2006. He currently serves as a CBCF Energy Fellow. Marcel was previous ly employed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Program Analyst. In that role, he served as EPA HQ’s point of contact for the Public Water System Supervision Grant program—a $100+ million federal grant program. Marcel is a recent graduate of American University’s (AU) School of Public Affairs with a Master of Public Policy with concentrations in Com parative Public Policy and International Development. He intends to use the skills learned through out the program and his time with CBCF to promote and incorporate racial equity and justice to the energy, environmental, and health policy areas.
Gabriel Smith Health Fellow
Hilary Carruthers Health Fellow
Elijah Armstrong graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Edu cation where he earned his Masters in Education Policy and Management. Following graduation, he worked as a Dean’s Education Fellow with Bos ton Public Schools. Elijah graduated with his Bachelors in Education and Public Policy from Penn State and while there, interned in the office of Congressman Ed Perlmutter and the office of Senator Bob Casey through the American Association of People with Disabilities. Before coming to the Congressional Black Caucus, Elijah worked as a Policy Fellow at the Future of Privacy Forum on the Youth and Education team. Elijah also founded Equal Opportunities for Students where he runs the Heumann-Armstrong Award, an educational award for students with disabilities.
Despite lacking fundamental resources like hot water, money, and food as a youth, Chase has never lacked hope. He never allowed the under-resourced schools he attended or that he was not taught how to read until the second grade affect his commitment to educational excellence. Chase is a 2x graduate from The University of Texas at Austin where he recently graduated with a 3.95 GPA, earned his Master’s in Educational Policy and Planning, and taught two undergraduate classes. He researched how Zero-Tolerance Policy perpetuates the School-To-Prison Pipeline for black male stu dents and developed policy recommendations. He also helped African American studies legislation get passed in Texas.
Chloe TechnologyScott Fellow
Chloe Scott is a native of Frederick, MD, where her humanitarian ef forts are recognized through dedication to civic engagement and being a fierce advocate for human rights. Her eagerness to serve her community, specifically disparate neighborhoods, has increased awareness and enhanced available resources for women, children, and families faced with numerous life insecurities. Chloe is a graduate of Hood College and holds a B.A. in Communications concentrated in Public Relations and a Master of Science in Sports Management. She has a diverse professional experience in policy, risk management, and public relations. Her prior work includes developing business and marketing strategies for local government, directing community engagement, managing fundraising and social media campaigns, writing RFPs, implementing social media strategies, and coordinating events.
Kyilah CybersecurityTerry Fellow
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Paige HealthJonesFellow
Growing up around various parts of Los Angeles, California such as South Central, Compton, and Watts, Chase Moore has defeated tremendous odds.
Marcel Security/DefenseAkhame Fellow
Elijah HealthArmstrongFellow
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Rep. James Clyburn Rep. Bobby Rush Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester Rep. Hakeem Jeffries Rep. GK Butterfield Rep. Ritchie Torres Rep. Al Green Rep. Al Lawson
Rep. André Carson Rep. Anthony Brown Rep. Bennie Thompson Rep. Bobby Scott Rep. Bonnie W. Coleman Rep. Brenda Lawrence Rep. Colin Allred Rep. Cori Bush
Rep. Terri Sewell Rep. Troy Carter Rep. Val Demings Rep. Yvette Clarke Rep. Stacey E. Plaskett Rep. Marilyn Strickland Rep. Alma Adams Senator Cory Booker
Rep. Frederica Wilson Rep. Gregory Meeks Rep. Gwen Moore Rep. Hank Johnson Rep. Jahana Hayes Rep. Jamaal Bowman Rep. Joe Neguse Rep. Joyce Beatty
Rep. Karen Bass Rep. Lauren Underwood Rep. Lucy McBath Rep. Marc Veasey
Rep. Ilhan Omar Rep. Pressley Rep. Robin Kelly Rep. Sanford Bishop Rep.SheilaCherfilus-McCormick Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Rep. Shontel Brown Rep. Nikema Williams
Sen. Raphael Warnock Rep Barbara Lee
Rep. Maxine Waters Rep. Kweisi Mfume Rep. Mondaire Jones Rep. Nikema Williams
Rep. David Scott Rep. Danny K. Davis Rep. Donald Payne Jr. Rep. Donald McEachin Rep. Dwight Evans Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson Rep. Elanor Holmes Norton Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver
and business development.
limited resources. The technical competencies of these aspiring gen-z students provide tremen dous technology and marketing help to nonprofit leaders who were created to improve the financial trajectory of their communities. Today we serve communities of colors across country”
Uplifting Students, Not For Profit Businesses, and the Community with… Elijah Cummings Scholars: The Legacy Continues
“In addition to the skill building occurring at places of business, I love the focus on homebuying, public speaking, interviewing techniques, and the confidence building gained through these work experiences. This program and the Center for Financial Ad vancement® has been of great value to Garnettme.”
The Cummings Scholars Pro gram has several goals; 1. Create
development for students. It's an incredible tribute to the Honor able Elijah Cummings's life and legacy.”HomeFree-USA is an African American founded nonprofit or ganization that through its collab orative network helps diverse fam ilies navigate the homeownership process through education, inspi ration and personal guidance. The HomeFree-USA network consist of 53 organizations nationwide. Together they combine resources to elevate the credit and financial statue of all Gwendolynpeople.Garnett, Executive Director of Center for Financial Advancement® at HomeFree-USA, explains how the program’s cred it-building and professional de velopment helps to prepare young people for financial success. “In some cases, credit is key to getting a job. Some companies will look at your credit before they will hire you. The mindset is ‘if you can't manage your own finances, how can you manage whatever respon sibilities we are going to hire you
That is the perfect way to con tinue a legacy by giving the next generation and nonprofit lead ers the resources they need to prosper and be more successful. Cummings would be proud of his
Marcia Griffin CEO/Founder HomeFree-USA Homefreeusa.org
The program, sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank and orchestrat ed by HomeFree-USA, has been in place for the past four years.
Monica Mitchell, Lead Social Impact Specialist explains the or igins of the program. “Wells Fargo created this program with Con gressman Cummings and Home Free-USA because we identified in tersections between communities, nonprofits, and HBCU students. Nonprofits need more resources to support their communities; many college students of color need in come now to finish school, and they need the financial capability to build wealth long-term. On top of addressing all those needs, the program provides practical career
more paid jobs and internships for HBCU students. 2. Develop a diverse pipeline of young business professionals who will excel in the workplace. 3. Expose students to career opportunities, many are un familiar with. 4. Provide free help to nonprofit organizations who work hard to change their com munities.Butthere are many other bene fits to the Chardonnayprogram. Lee, a senior at Morgan State University, who is in her fourth year as a Cummings Scholar sees additional benefits.
Scholars rave about their love for Wells Fargo and HomeFree-USA. Chardonnay Lee states “Right be fore the summer of my sophomore year, [Garnett] asked for my feed back on the program. I was hap py to give my positive sentiments and stated that this program was valuable because we want business experience, we want to become entrepreneurs and we are dedicat ed to improving our community. With what we’ve learned, most of us will buy our homes in our twenties and get approved the first time. I am grateful.”
Past and present Elijah Cummings Scholars are (L to R) Roshan Ghimire, Dionta Hunter, Chyanne Cook and Chardonnay Lee
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The true greatness of a person is determined by what they leave behind. Legacy is everything. And so, when you speak about the late great Congressman Elijah Cum mings, you may think about his public service to the people. The first 13 years as a member of the Maryland house of delegates, and the final 23 years as a congressman in Maryland’s 7th district is why Wells Fargo intends to keep his legacy alive with the Cummings Scholars program that bears his name.The Cummings Scholars Pro gram is a six-week paid internship program where Morgan State Uni versity students work with non profit organizations to improve the financial health of their com munities. Students learn valuable
At the beginning, the program was focused solely on students in the Baltimore, Maryland area and at Cummings’s alma mater, Mor gan State University. In 2022 the Cummings Scholars Program ex panded into 9 states and provided vital employment resources to 19 nonprofit organizations.
is proud that Home Free-USA and Wells Fargo kept the program moving forward during COVID and while stu dents worked virtually. “I am es pecially happy that we can serve nonprofit organizations around the country, who are small with
CBCFH-11 / 11 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / 2022 CBCF ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE / SPECIAL ISSUE / SEPTEMBER 2022 Through Projec t UP, Comcast is commit ting one billion dollars to reach millions of people with the skills, resources, and oppor tunities they need to succeed in a digital world and build a future of unlimited possibilities of unlimite d p ossibilities
WI
Out with the Status Quo
I did not write this to say that Joe Biden was the wrong choice. I’m merely asking what do we get for our loyalty — more hope without substantive and sys temic change?
As America muddles its way through these perilous times, too many in the African American community appear to be more confused than ever. We have trad ed our interests in for “electability” and “anybody but Trump.” The late NAACP Board Chair Julian Bond told us that we have no per manent friends and no permanent enemies, just permanent interests. Malcolm X called them permanent agendas.Byfailing to develop, under stand and articulate our perma nent interests/agendas, we fall victim to the problem of binary politics, the simplistic either-or scenario. Yes, this is a two-party system, but failing to have an af ro-diasporic weltanschauung, or world view, continuously leaves us with the simplistic and deadly choices of the status quo: “Do you want lead in your drinking water or mercury? Do you want arsenic with your grits, baby, or do you
I’m merely asking what do we get for our loyalty — more hope systemicsubstantivewithoutandchange?
South American countries. His position on tax cuts and cuts to so cial programs builds upon tax pol icy and social policy cuts from pre vious administrations. Remember “ending welfare as we know it” under President Clinton and Pres ident Obama’s failed “Grand Bar gain?”Again,
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“Anybody but Trump” ignores the fact that as president, Mr. Trump was a functionary of the
Whether a local, state, or federal election, the status quo needs to go.The writer is the producer-host of the nationally broadcast call-in talk radio program “Inside the Is sues with Leon” on SiriusXM sat ellite radio.
Again, I did not write this to say that Joe Biden was the wrong choice.
Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III Special to the WI
Trump” without an afro-diasporic weltanschauung as the basis of your analysis will not lead you to a betterWe’vealternative.beentold by some in lead ership positions that “we know Joe (Biden) and Joe knows us,” “He is a public servant who has always worked for the best of who we are as a nation and we need that right now,” and “The answer to hatred and division is to reignite our spirit of common purpose ... He’ll restore honor to the Oval Of fice and tackle our most pressing challenges.”Yes,weknow Joe. He has quite a long record. His record on bus ing, the crime bill, Anita Hill’s tes timony against Clarence Thomas, plagiarism and other issues is very clear. I don’t write this to say that Joe Biden was the wrong choice. I write this to say that if your analysis is solely based on “electability” or “anybody but Trump,” then your analysis is shallow. In fact, it’s not even analysis; it’s reactionary. The African American community can ill-afford reactionary politics. It’s not about the politics of personali ty. It’s about the politics of policy.
The issues that plague America are systemic. Racism in America is organic. What do we get for our endorsements? An afro-dias poric weltanschauung is essential to developing the platform that serves as a baseline for any political candidate that seeks the African American vote. Any candidate seeking our support must commit to supporting a set of clear plat form planks and policy initiatives that support the community. The 1972 Gary Declaration from the National Black Political Conven tion is the place to start.
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White Realities, Black Choice
The Black Agenda is addressed primarily to Black people in America. It rises naturally out of the bloody decades and centuries of our people’s struggle on these shores. It flows from the most re cent surging of our own cultural and political consciousness. It is
The profound crisis of Black people and the disaster of America are not simply caused by men nor will they be solved by men alone. These crises are the crises of basi cally flawed economics and poli tics, and or cultural degradation. None of the Democratic candi dates and none of the Republican candidates — regardless of their vague promises to us or to their
Introduction
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desperation of our people, the ag onies of our cities, the desolation of our countryside, the pollution of the air and the water — these things will not be significantly affected by new faces in the old places in Washington D.C. This is the truth we must face here in Gary if we are to join our people everywhere in the movement for ward toward liberation.
Both Parties Have Betrayed Us
white constituencies — can solve our problems or the problems of this country without radically changing the systems by which it operates.
We Are The Vanguard
What Time Is It? Economic, cultural, and spiritu
Approximately 3,000 official delegates and 7,000 attendees from across the United States met at Gary’s West Side High School from March 10 to March 12. The attendees in cluded a prolific group of Black lead ers, such as Reverend Jesse Jackson, Coretta Scott King, Amiri Baraka, Muslim leader Minister Louis Far rakhan, Black Panther co-found er Bobby Seale, and Malcolm X’s widow Betty Shabazz. Organizers sought to create a cohesive political strategy for Black Americans by the convention’s end, Black poet and ac tivist Amiri Baraka (formerly LeRoi Jones) advocated for the gathering to practice “unity without conformity.” Here are a few key takeaways from The Gary Declaration:
Towards A Black Agenda
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Excerpts from The Gary Declaration / Plan (1972)
So, when we turn to a Black Agenda for the seventies, we move in the truth of history, in the real ity of the moment. We move rec ognizing that no one else is going to represent our interests but our selves. The society we seek cannot come unless Black people organize to advance its coming. We lift up a Black Agenda recognizing that white America moves towards the abyss created by its own racist arrogance, misplaced priorities, rampant materialism, and ethi cal bankruptcy. Therefore, we are certain that the Agenda we now press for in Gary is not only for the future of Black humanity but is probably the only way the rest of America can save itself from the harvest of its criminal past.
Nevertheless, some twenty years later we became Democrats in the name of Franklin Roosevelt, then supported his successor Harry Tru man, and even tried a “non-parti san” Republican General of the Army named Eisenhower. We were wooed like many others by the superficial liberalism of John F. Kennedy and the make-believe populism of Lyndon Johnson. Let there be no more of that.
The Politics of TransformationSocial
trust are unable to cope with the crises they have created by their
A major part of the challenge we must accept is that of redefining the functions and operations of all levels of American government, for the existing governing structures — from Washington to the small est county — are obsolescent. That is part of the reason why nothing works and why corruption rages throughout public life. For white politics seeks not to serve but to dominate and manipulate.
So, we come to Gary confront ed with a choice. But it is not the old convention question of which candidate shall we support, the pointless question of who is to preside over a decaying and unsal vageable system. No, if we come to Gary out of the realities of the Black communities of this land, then the only real choice for us is whether or not we will live by the truth we know, whether we will move to organize independently, move to struggle for fundamental transformation, for the creation of new directions, towards a concern for the life and the meaning of Man. Social transformation or so cial destruction, those are our only real choices.
At Pepco, supplying power to homes and businesses in DC and Maryland is just part of what we do. We’re helping to foster growth within our neighborhoods.
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The Power of Community
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marginalized groups, particularly in “Coded Resistance: Freedom “One of the biggest obstacles en
Similarly, the power fist grew from military use, into a Black power symbol. The first likely appearance of a clenched fist as a symbolic gesture, however, was in France during the 1848 revolution that resulted in the abdication of King Louis-Philippe, the last reign ing French monarch. It was one of a number of insurrections through out Europe in 1848. French artist Honoré Daumier is said to have been so affected by the passion of the revolutionaries that he paint ed The Uprising to represent their fighting spirit. At the center of the piece was a man with rolled-up sleeves and a clenched fist.
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In a 1969 survey, 56 percent of African American soldiers serv ing in Vietnam said they used the clenched fist or Black Power salute to show their opposition to a white man's war in Asia. Others were protesting racial discrimination within the military, where Blacks were systematically over-represent ed in the draft, were assigned to menial tasks, and faced systemic harassment from their white peers.
8. Make
The “V” as a power sign has a military history that harkens back to English longbowmen in the 1415 Battle of Agincourt who used it to mock the defeated French army. The longbowmen relied on these two fingers to fire their arrows to deadly effect upon the enemy, which was a key factor in the victory. The “V” represented a show of defiance and derision by English soldiers, who only needed these two fingers to win the battle. More than 500 years later, African American sol diers fighting in the Second World War used holding up the index and middle fingers to signal victory along with other Allied nations.
In 1942 the Pittsburgh Courier, an African American newspaper, launched the Double Victory Cam paign, which stood for “Victory Abroad and Victory at Home.” Vic tory Abroad championed military success against fascism overseas, and Victory at Home demanded equality for African Americans in the United States. Anti-war ac tivists later adopted it as a symbol of peace, and today the gesture is known as "the peace sign."
Two years later, two African American Olympic medalist (track), Tommie Smith and John Carlos, won gold and bronze med als, respectively, for the 200-meter sprint, raised black-gloved fists while standing on the winners’ platform. They utilized the sym bol as in international show of protest against ongoing racism and injustice in the United States and throughout the world. “[It] was a cry for freedom and for human rights,” Smith told Smithsonian magazine in 2008, further reinforc ing its power as a non-verbal articu lation. “We had to be seen because we couldn’t be heard.”
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These language-ways included the use of parables, word substi tutions, symbols, winks, physical interactions (elaborate handshakes, pounds, daps, claps, fives, and shoulder bumps), and hand signs. While there are many signs, sym bols, and gestures used to denote Black power, unity, solidarity, and resistance, two that have stood the test of time are the V hand sign and the raised black fist.
slaved Africans faced when trying to organize and fight was the fact that they were closely watched, along with being separated, abused, tortured, and brought onto a for eign land to work until their death for free. They often spoke differ ent languages from each other, with different cultures, and beliefs. Organizing under these condi tions seemed impossible,” Han cock writes. “Yet even under these conditions including overbearing surveillance, they developed a way to fight back. Much of this is at tributed to the brilliance of these Africans using everything they had to develop communications with each other under chattel slavery. The continued fight today reflects much of the history that was estab lished from dealing with censorship and authoritarian surveillance.”
has collected
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When the Black Panther Party was founded in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale to chal lenge police brutality against the African American community, the black power fist was repeatedly used as a symbol of black liberation.
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The raised fist comes to represent a genuine political gesture, today, having been attached to protests across the globe, including those of silver-medal distance runner Feyi sa Lilesa’s crossed fists at the 2016 Olympics to protest human rights violations in his native Ethiopia and Black Lives Matter rallies be ginning in 2013.
Understanding the characteristics of new voters in different parts of the country, the challenges to engaging them, and their potential to influence election results is key to growing them into voters. Given their racial/ethnic diversity, it’s also vital for expanding the electorate and creating a more equitable, multiracial democracy.
In 2013, when Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the Supreme Court’s majority opinion in Shelby County v. Holder, he argued that the Voting Rights Act of 1965’s preclearance requirement under Section 5 was no longer needed because “African-American voter turnout has come to exceed white voter turnout in five of the six States [Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina] originally covered by §5 with a gap in the sixth State of less than one half of one percent [Virginia].” Although this was true in 2012 — and only 2012 — the white-Black turnout gap in these states reopened in subsequent years, and by IN THE PAST 25 YEARS, HALF THE STATES HAVE CHANGED THEIR LAWS AND PRACTICES TO EXPAND VOTING ACCESS TO PEOPLE WITH FELONY CONVICTIONS. DESPITE THESE IMPORTANT REFORMS, 5.2 MILLION AMERICANS REMAIN DISENFRANCHISED, 2.3 PERCENT OF THE VOTING AGE POPULATION.
There are an estimated 8.3 million newly eligible young voters for the 2022 midterm elections— meaning, youth who have turned 18 since the previous general election in November 2020. These 18- and 19-year-olds comprise 16 percent of the 18-29 age group for the 2022 election. They include approximately 4.5 million white youth and 3.8 million youth of color: 2 million Latinos, 1.2 million Black youth, 500,000 Asians, and 80,000 Americans.Native
More than 122 million people cast ballots in 2018's races, with a 51.4 percent turnout rate among African Americans, according to the Pew Research Center.
By the Numbers
While approximately 63 percent of all U.S. residents over 18 are white, 54 percent of newly eligible voters are. Black and, especially, Latino youth make up a larger share of these new members of the electorate. In every region of the country, Latinos make up a larger share of the ages 18-19 electorate than of all residents over age 18.
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By Lee Ross / WI Staff Writer
A recent Washington Post-Ipsos poll found 7 in 10 approve of the pres ident's job performance, down 8 percentage points from the previous year. Sixty percent of those surveyed said Mr. Biden is keeping most of his campaign promises, while 37 percent said he has not.
Joanne Griffith
Using examples from the left and the right, past and present, he reveals the core laws of power. He shows that all of us can generate power-and then, step by step, he shows us how. The strategies of reform and revolution he lays out will help every reader make sense of our world today.
Is this the America you want? If not, here's how to claim the power to change your country. We are in an age of epic political turbulence in America. Old hierarchies and institutions are col lapsing. From the election of Donald Trump to the upending of the major political parties to the spread of grassroots movements like Black Lives Matter and $15 Now, people across the country and across the political spectrum are reclaiming power. Eric Liu, who has spent a career practicing and teaching civic power, lays out the answers in this incisive, inspiring, and provocative book.
K.Sabeel Rahman, Hollie Russon Gilman
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What will it take to restore American democracy and rescue it from this moment of crisis? Civic Power argues that the current threat to US democracy is rooted not just in the outcome of the 2016 election, but in deeper, systemic forms of inequality that concentrate economic and political power in the hands of the few at the expense of the many. Drawing on historical and so cial science research and case studies of contemporary democratic innovations across the country, Civic Power calls for a broader approach to democracy reform focused on meaningfully redistrib uting power to citizens. It advocates for both reviving grassroots civil society and novel approaches to governance, policymaking, civic technology, and institutional design - aimed at dismantling structural disparities to build a more inclusive, empowered, bottom-up democracy, where communities and people have greater voice, power, and agency.
Civic Power: Rebuilding American Democracy in an Era of Crisis
By Lee Ross / WI Staff Writer
Double Trouble: Black Mayors, Black Communities, and the Call for a Deep Democracy
J. Phillip Thompson III, an insider in the Dinkins administration, provides the first in-depth look at how the black mayors of America's major cities achieve so cial change. Black constituents naturally look to black mayors to effect great change for the poor, but the re ality of the situation is complicated. Thompson argues that African American mayors, legislators, and political activists need to more effectively challenge opinions and public policies supported by the white pub lic and encourage greater political inclusion and open political discourse within black communities. Only by unveiling painful internal oppressions, and exclu sions within black politics will the black community's power increase and compel similar unveilings in the broader interracial conversation about the problems of the urban poor. Tracing the historical development and contemporary practice of black mayoral politics, this is a fascinating study of the motivations of black politicians, competing ideologies in the black community and the inner dynam ics of urban social change.
There are scholars doing powerful work on Black youth and civics; scholars focused on girls and civics; and scholars focused on Black girls in education. But the intersections of African American girlhood and civ ics have not received adequate attention. This book be gins the journey of understanding and communicating the varied forms of civics in the Black Girl experience. Black Girl Civics: Expand ing and Navigating the Boundaries of Civic Engagement brings together a range of works that grapple with the question of what it means for African American girls to engage in civic identity development and expression. This collection of 11 chapters features a range of research from empirical to theoretical and is forward ed by Black Girlhood scholar Dr. Venus Evans-Winters. The intended audience for this volume includes Black girlhood scholars, scholars of race and gender, teachers, civic advocacy organizations, civic engagement researchers, and youth development providers. WI
You're More Powerful than You Think: A Citizen's Guide to Making Change Happen Eric Liu
Recent & Recommended Books on Black Power and Civil Engagement
J. Phillip Thompson III
Ginnie Logan, Janiece Mackey
Redefining Black Power: Reflections on the State of Black America
The Obama presidency represented a major mile stone in African American history. The very presence of a black First Family had a profound cultural impact, but did the Obama White House actually addressed any of the ongoing issues faced by Black America? Did communities of color organized sufficiently to voice their concerns? How could lessons learned from past freedom struggles guide the organizing that's needed to meet today's opportuni ties and challenges? To explore these questions in depth, international journalist Joanne Griffith traveled the country to interview black intellectuals, activists, au thors, and educators, including former advisor to former President Obama, Van Jones; civil rights advocate and litigator, Michelle Alexander; economist, Julianne Malveaux; and friend and speech writer for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Vincent Harding. The result was a wide-ranging exploration of the hot-button issues facing America today -- from economics, education, and the law, to the cultural impact of mass media.
Black Girl Civics: Expanding and Navigating the Boundaries of Civic Engagement
CBCFH-19/ 19 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / 2022 CBCF ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE / SPECIAL ISSUE / SEPTEMBER 2022 The NNPA is a trade association representing the Black Press with 235 African American-owned member newspapers in 40 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Since its inception, over eighty-five years ago, the NNPA publishers have provided excellent reporting from the Black perspective. Celebrating 195 Years of The Black Press in America The NNPA Salutes the 2022 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference “THE BLACK PRESS OF AMERICA IS MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER”
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