ALC Daily - PageTurnPro · Community Breakfast & Health Fair offers meals, screenings. PAGE 8 PHOENIX AWARDS Saturday’s honor-ees reflect great talent, contribution. PAGE 9 MORE

Please see “CELEBRATION” on page 12

INSIDEALCDAILY

FIRST-TIMERSWide variety of reasons to attend are given by ALC first-timers. PAGE 12

COMMUNITY HELPCommunity Breakfast & Health Fair offers meals, screenings.PAGE 8

PHOENIX AWARDSSaturday’s honor-ees reflect great talent, contribution. PAGE 9

MORE THAN 2%More African-American men need to be teaching.PAGE 6

Follow AlC 2014 on TwiTTer — #CBCFAlC14 #ItStartsWithYou

September 26, 2014 • Walter E. Washington Convention Center

ALC DailyFriDAY

By: Shrita Sterling-hernandez

Fifty years after the activism that led to the Civil Rights Act, pan-elists at Thursday’s National

Town Hall stressed the importance of continuing to get out the African-American vote and ensuring that the community is engaged year-round, at all levels of government.

In the wake of the Supreme Court Voting Rights Act decision and the civil disturbance in Ferguson, panel-ist and civil rights activist, Rep. John Lewis said, “we must stand up and fight and push, and vote like we’ve never voted before.”

The best way to do that, said Barbara Arnwine of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, is to recognize that voting has to be 365 days a year. “It cannot only be about showing up for an election –

Town Hall: Community Engagement Requires Year-Round Nurturing

although that’s key. But for everyone who knows that Nov. 4 is Election Day, four other people don’t have a

clue. Our duty is to create a massive microphone to get the word out to every single person we know.”

Arnwine pointed out that she and other panelists represent organiza-tions that put out voting toolkits that community groups can use. “The toolkits talk about not only register-ing, but also about making sure that people stay engaged,” she said. “So many people don’t want to go to the polls because they get disgusted. People get upset when the school board isn’t accountable, when the mayor isn’t holding the police force accountable.”

Other panelists also focused on the importance of engaging not just for national elections, but also local politics.

“After 2008 and 2012, when the black vote set historic numbers, Re-publicans went on the offense and said, ‘we’ve got to stop this,’” said

By Cathryn Walker

Three African-American legends traveled to Washington, D.C., not only to be honored for

their lasting impact in creative arts, but to also uplift the next generation of artists.

Talented and accomplished icons, actress Phylicia Rashad, singer-songwriter Bill Withers, and Harvard professor Dr. Alvin Poussaint, were recognized for their legendary con-tributions to black excellence in arts and sciences, at the Celebration of Leadership in the Fine Arts, Wednes-day, Sept. 24 at the Newseum. The cel-ebration, hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorpo-rated (CBCF) and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Spouses, marked the 18th year of recognizing African-American leaders in fine arts.

Celebration of Leadership in Fine Arts: A Night Full of Recognition, Inspiration and Special Performances

The ceremony, which raises schol-arship funds for students pursuing vi-sual and performing arts, showcased that people have not and will not forget the impact of the distinguished honorees. For instance, Vice President Joe Biden, offered opening remarks and quoted Maya Angelou stating, “I’ve learned that people will never forget how you made them feel.” The annual Celebration of Leader-ship in the Fine Arts ensures that such contributions are appropriately acknowledged.

Humble and thankful, the hon-orees did not focus on their own accomplishments, but instead on the importance of encouraging and fos-tering passion for visual, literary and musical arts in the youth.

“I thank you for this support of Gathered together at the CBC Spouses 18th Annual Celebration of Leadership in Fine Arts are, from left, A. Shuanise Washington, president and chief executive officer of the CBCF, with Dr. Alvin Poussaint, Phylicia Rashad, and Bill Withers, honorees of the CBC Spouses 18th Annual Celebration of Leadership in Fine Arts.

Please see “NATIONAL TOWN HALL” on page 10

National Town Hall moderator Jeff Johnson, at podium, starts off the discussion on voting rights.

Friday, September 26, 2014Page 2 ALC DailyFRIDAY

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Friday, September 26, 2014 Page 3ALC DailyFRIDAY

By tim Pulliam

Financial health involves more than just accumulating money. During the Thursday after-

noon session “Money, Wealth and Disparities: Building a Personal Financial Legacy,” a panel of experts discussed strategies for personal money management and the ability to pass on assets, rather than deficits, to future generations.

Gloria Mayfield Banks, national sales director for Mary Kay, kicked off the session with an inspiring story of how she transitioned from a dyslexic child to a Harvard Business School graduate, and from an abused wife to the number three Mary Kay salesperson nationwide.

Along the way, she developed 10 strategies that she said gave her the “fortitude to go outside the box and create wealth:”

1. Make a conscious decision to be wealthy.

2. Never take advice from any-one you’re not willing to exchange financial places with.

3. Be confident, because people are attracted by confidence.

4. Have impeccable time man-agement, emotional management and skill management.

5. Be willing to be uncomfort-able in order to reach your goals, and remember that the majority of people you hang around . . . are interested in working harder, not smarter.

6. Project an inner and outer image consistent with wealth.

7. Be passionate about your work. “You’ve got to know what

drives your passion in order to create something that hasn’t been created in your family before,” she said. “Passion drives you past discourage-ment.”

8. Have discipline and hustle. “If you’re going to create anything, it’s going to take hustle,” she said. “Run from tired people. If you don’t run, you will be tired.”

9. Develop leadership and people skills. “Those who lead others into a positive direction will create wealth for themselves,” she said.

10. Be willing to make short-term sacrifices. “I tell people I’ve worked hard so I can play very, very hard,” said Banks.

Michele C. Green of Prudential followed with a discussion of a Prudential survey about African-Americans and wealth.

“The first thing we found is that

African Americans have a very, very full plate of financial priorities,” she said. “We are carrying far more debt than any other group of people. We’re paying off debt like school loans be-cause we don’t come from a history of established wealth.”

The survey also found that Af-rican Americans focus more on short-term savings than long-term investments. “We are a group of people who financial advisors don’t approach,” Green said. “It wasn’t until I joined Prudential and went to wealth management sessions that I came home and said to my husband, ‘we’re not doing this right.’”

Another obstacle is that African-Americans tend to have problems negotiating optimal salaries, said Carla Harris of Morgan Stanley. “We don’t do the homework around what we think we should be paid because

Wealth Experts Offer Tips for Creating a Financial Legacywe’re focused so much on simply getting the job,” she said. “We don’t understand that if they want us enough to make us an offer, we have leverage to negotiate.”

And then once a person has landed a job, there’s a reluctance to lobby for raises and promotions. But Harris said if people don’t negotiate top pay in one job, it carries over to subsequent jobs. “You should never undersell yourself, because it’s never about that job; it’s about the next two or three, and you will never catch up,” she said. “You cannot be afraid to ask for what you are worth. Fear has no place in your success equation.”

Harris said another key to finan-cial success is to learn how to invest money. “You must, must get help if you don’t understand the ins and outs about investing,” she said.

Micheal Cristal of the Kroger Co. said investing isn’t difficult, but it does take courage. One tip is to de-velop an investing mindset. “Every time I get a raise, I grow Micheal first, through investing,” he said.

Those investments will help pro-tect you and your family in old age, said Karen L. Heath-Wade of Nation-wide, a financial management firm. A Nationwide survey found that in the future, Medicare will only pay for 59 percent of healthcare costs. In ad-dition, seven out of ten 65-year-olds will need long-term care, at a cost of $95,000 a year for a private room.

“This is something we all have to deal with as we live longer,” she said. “And it’s a conversation we need to have with all of those who are important to us.”

By miChael dunCan

After a slightly belated ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees of the Congressional Black

Caucus Foundation, Incorporated’s (CBCF) 44th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC), ALC ’14 streamed onto the Exhibit Showcase floor yes-terday afternoon to view displays from Kia, Coca-Cola, Mary Kay and many others; and to take part in the Job Fair, Health Pavilion and Mar-ketplace.

In the center of all this activity was the Authors Pavilion, a highlight of ALC, which opened with a panel of writers discussing their works on key economic issues, poetry and in-spiration, and a dynamic moment in the labor history of Washington, D.C.

Economic Stress: Harsh Truths & Keys to Empowerment by economist Dr. Robert M. Brown III, focuses on the negative effects of the recession that began in 2007. The first portion

of the book is devoted to interviews with individuals who encountered economic difficulty during recent years. Brown details their experi-ences and how they are coping. The second section offers specific actions, such as how to interact with a bill col-lector to get the best outcome.

Similar material, written from a different viewpoint, is covered by Harrine Freeman’s How To Get Out of Debt: Get An “A” Credit Rating Using the System I’ve Used Successfully With Thousands of Clients. “By the time I graduated from college,” Freeman told the crowd in the Authors Pavil-

ion, “I had 13 credit cards, and I was $19,000 in debt.” Her book explains how she extricated herself from this predicament, and contains a step-by-step program designed to enable her readers to do the same.

Authors Pavilion: Economics, History and Inspiration at the Exhibit Showcase

Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, moderator, opens the Money, Wealth and Disparities: Building a Personal Financial Legacy session on Thursday morning as ALC co-chair Rep. Joyce Beatty looks on.

Please see “PAVILION” on page 4

Crowds gathered to purchase books, speak with authors and have their books autographed in the Authors Pavilion.


ALC DailyPublished five times annually in conjunction with the An-nual Legislative Conference by the Congressional Black Cau-cus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF).

Chair, CBCF BoardRep. Chaka Fattah

CBCF President and CEOA. Shuanise Washington

PublisherShrita Sterlin-HernandezVice President, Communications and Marketing

EditorTim PulliamPublic Relations Specialist

Associate EditorsVicky UhlandPeter JohnstonFiona SoltesSandy SmithMichael DuncanJada IrwinAdia Jordan

PhotographyImagine PhotographySoulfully Speaking

Production ManagersTim MercerJenn WatersCustomNews, Inc.

Christine Davis Easterling’s A Giant For Justice: Inspirational Bi-ography of William H. “Bill” Simons III, details the career of its subject during his 25-year tenure as head of the Washington Teacher’s Union. “If you don’t stand for something, you will settle for anything,” said Easterling. “That is the sign I wore during the March 1979 Washing-ton Teacher’s Union strike, which lasted 23 days. Hundreds of teach-ers took to the strike lines under Bill Simons’ leadership to protest unlawful working conditions.”

Unusual for a biographer, East-erling was accompanied by her subject, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday. “I never thought that anyone would write a story about me,” Simons said. “I wasn’t doing anything other than what was neces-sary to make education better for the students in the District of Columbia.”

Jasmine Furr, introduced as “our next Maya Angelou,” is the author of In Full Bloom: A Collection of Poems. “Inside my book,” Furr said, “are over a hundred inspirational poems about faith, family, love and culture. In a cynical world, In Full Bloom is intended to remind us of the life les-sons of our elders.”

The final speaker in the panel was Aleysha R. Proctor, author of Good News in a Bad News World. Proctor, a Christian inspirational author, is also a faith-based speaker, radio host and a lifestyle blogger. Three of her books are available at the Exhibit Showcase, of which Good News in a Bad News World is the most recent.

Each year, the Authors Pavilion draws crowds of attendees seeking a literary reprieve from the typical issue-related forums. So far, judging from this year’s authors, attendees can expect the same offering of intel-lectual excellence ALC presents.

#CBCFAlC14

#Itstartswithyou

@sugamamatweets I walk on floors I didn’t scrub. I walk through doors I didn’t open. I’m obligated to reach back and help others. #CBCFALC14 #CBC2014

@honeyrilla AG Holder advanced fair housing enforcement in a way that few other AGs have. His legacy will be felt for decades. #CBCFALC14

@CATeachersGR “There was not a bad crop of teachers that came in over the past decade, there was a bad crop of education policies,” says Ingram #CBCFALC14

PavilionContinued from page 3


Walmart is proud to support theCongressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.

44 Annual Legislative Conferenceth


By tim Pulliam

Thursday afternoon, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia, led

a panel of educators in a discussion entitled, “2% is Not Enough: How Do We Get More Black Male Teachers in America’s Classrooms?” The session, which drew a standing-room-only crowd, featured Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Kenny Latti-more; Kwame Griffith, executive vice president for Regional Operations, Teach for America; Ivory A. Told-son, Ph.D., White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities; Clint Smith, a Teach for America alum, now a doctoral candi-date in the Harvard School of Educa-tion; and Jabali Sawicki, Founding Principal, Excellence Charter School, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Del. Norton opened the session by calling on Smith, who recited a powerful and moving poem about the pride and admiration he feels for his students. In speaking of and with students, he said he prefers to focus on assets – the strengths and gifts they have – rather than deficits.

Excellence Charter School is an all-boys K-8 school in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn; its student body is 98 percent black. “Through my reflections in educa-tional reform – who is reforming and who or what is being reformed – I came to the realization that black

male teachers need to, and must, contribute to our country’s efforts to figure out how to educate all of our children,” Sawicki said.

Statistically, only about two per-cent of all K-12 classroom teachers in the U.S. are African-American males. The premise of the session, expressed by its title, is that this imbalance constitutes a crisis, and steps need to be taken to rectify it. The panelists were in unanimous and passionate agreement that students—especially, but by no means exclusively, African-American boys—would benefit from seeing more black men in this role, and that more black men should be encouraged to go into teaching.

As to whether there is a crisis, Toldson offered some interesting statistics, “as a researcher, I try to ignore noise and look at the black experience with an open mind.” Toldson elaborated, “before I wanted to say if black men were avoiding becoming teachers, I wanted to see if there were figures to back it up. I looked at occupations across race and gender, and I did find verification for the fact that about two percent of the teaching force is black males. I also looked at the occupations that black males were choosing when they had at least a bachelor’s degree. The num-ber one occupation for black makes with at least a bachelor’s degree is [ironically] – teaching.”

What there needs to be, both Griffith and Sawicki suggested, is

more support, financial and other-wise, for black men who start college and don’t manage to finish, and more attention to rectifying the very real pitfalls that can disproportionately befall young African-American men.

And necessarily, recruitment of more black male teachers. Toward the end of the session, Lattimore announced that encouraging this to happen will be one of the goals of his newly formed nonprofit foundation. And, as a heartening note, when Del. Norton asked how many of those present were themselves black male teachers, close to a third of the men in the room held up their hands. The

Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Kenny Lattimore contributes to the discussion about the role of black male teachers during the Thursday session.

Educators Discuss Role of Black Male Teachers in Classroom, Culture

Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Kenny Lattimore contributes to the discussion about the role of black male teachers during the Thursday session.

path towards increased recruitment, has already begun.

#CBCFAlC14

#Itstartswithyou

@Aprilatgoma Hearing about the amazing progress @SecretaryFoxx has made for small businesses in the field of transportation is refreshing. #CBCFALC14


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FILE NAME: MCDCO14048R1_m01v01_PrgmAd.indd

DESCRIPTION: 365 BLACK AWARDS

COLORS: CMYK

NOTES: PROGRAM AD

FONTS: Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk (Light, Regular, Bold, Medium), Times Ten

(Roman, Italic)

IMAGES: BA365_170584-js4_cmyk.tif (CMYK; 508 ppi; 59%), 365BlackAw-

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©2014 McDonald’s

Gabrielle WilliamsCommunity Choice

Youth Honoree

Skyler GreyCommunity Choice

Youth Honoree

Kevin Liles Entertainment Honoree

Henry CoaxumMcDonald’s Owner/Operator

Honoree

Al SharptonHumanitarian Honoree

Iyanla VanzantInspirational Honoree

Will PackerArts & Entertainment

Honoree

Dhani JonesSports Honoree (not shown)

Like our McDonald’s® 365Black® Award honorees, the Congressional Black Caucus

Foundation, Inc. deserves recognition because nothing is more fulfi lling than helping

others. We applaud your dedication during the Annual Legislative Conference. Let us

all be inspired to be deeply rooted in the community® by giving back.

Find your motivation at 365Black.com.

SERVING OTHERS IS THE GREATEST REWARD OF ALL.


#CBCFAlC14

#Itstartswithyou

@JotakaEaddy My sista @StefBrownJames is breaking it down...” make sure you live within your means.. be realistic with yourself” #CBCFALC14 #impact

@VashtiDominique I had no idea how seriously Apple supported inclusion and diversity. Well, take a bite out of that. #CBCFALC14

(Left photo) Rep. Sanford Bishop, Jr., of Georgia, second from left, was among the volunteers serving food during the Community Breakfast & Health Fair on Thursday morning. (Above photo) A participant takes advantage of the health screening opportunities available at the event, including blood pressure

Community Breakfast & Health Fair Helps the Community

monitoring. (Below photo) A young boy puts the new winter coat he received into a protective bag at the Community Breakfast & Health Fair.


By Shrita Sterlin-hernandez

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorpo-rated (CBCF) will again host

honorees and distinguished guests at the Phoenix Awards Dinner, Satur-day, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The black-tie event serves as the culmina-tion of the 44th Annual Legislative Conference.

Proceeds from Phoenix Awards Dinner support the CBCF’s educa-tion, economic development and health and research initiatives.

The Phoenix Awards recognizes those who set the standard for Afri-can-American excellence. This year’s honorees are boxing champion, Mu-hammad Ali; radio and television personality Cathy Hughes; editor-in-chief emerita of Essence Magazine, Susan L. Taylor; entrepreneur Dr. Robert Wright; and civil rights leader Wade Henderson.

“This year’s honorees exemplify entrepreneurship and economic empowerment—key principles that help to eliminate the civil and social disparities that many African Americans face,” said A. Shuanise Washington, president and CEO of the CBCF. “We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments with these well-deserved awards.”

Muhammad Ali is considered

one of the greatest boxing athletes in history. In 1959, he became a Golden Gloves Champion. The following year, he won an Olympic Gold Medal. The boxing champion and social activist is best known for winning all of his bouts in the 1960s—most of them knockouts. Since retirement, most of Ali’s work has focused on philanthropy.

Cathy Hughes is the first and only African-American woman to chair a publicly held corporation. Hughes founded Radio One in 1980. Radio One was the first African-American company in radio history to dominate several major markets simultaneously. She pioneered 24-hour talk radio from a black perspec-tive. Hughes serves on the CBCF’s board of directors.

For 27 years, Susan L. Taylor served as the chief editor of Essence Magazine. She is credited with building the brand and expanding

Muhammad Ali, Cathy Hughes, Susan L. Taylor, Dr. Robert Wright and Wade Henderson Selected as Phoenix Awards Dinner Honorees

its audience to eight million readers worldwide. She is the visionary be-hind the Essence Music Festival and its popular empowerment sessions. In 2005, the best-selling author and activist founded the National Cares Mentoring Movement, an organiza-tion devoted to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty among African Americans.

Dr. Robert Wright grew up dur-ing the Depression in segregated Georgia but was able to start his own optometry practice in Ohio before returning to his hometown to make a difference during the Civil Rights Movement. Wright formed his own consulting logistics company that eventually became Flight Explorer (FE). Under Wright’s leadership, FE developed FE Professional®, the world’s leading aircraft situation display, which improves weather and airport situational awareness.

Wade Henderson is the president and CEO of The Leadership Confer-ence on Civil and Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Educa-tion Fund. Under his guidance, The Leadership Conference has become a leading civil and human rights co-alition. Henderson has received the prestigious Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights and the Charles Hamilton Houston Medallion of Merit from the Washington Bar As-sociation, among other awards. Henderson is the former Washington Bureau director of the NAACP.

Past Phoenix Award honorees include President Barack Obama, President Bill Clinton, George Ed-ward Foreman, Sr., Civil Rights Ac-tivist Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery and U.S. Rep. John Lewis.

Judge Greg Mathis and actress Sheryl Lee Ralph will serve as the masters of ceremonies.

Cathy Hughes Wade HendersonSusan L. TaylorDr. Robert WrightMuhammad Ali

Edison Electric Institute is proud to sponsor The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.

and The 44th Annual Legislative Conference.


Rep. Xavier Becerra, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. To counteract the Republican strategy, “we’ve got to stop playing defense,” he said. This includes getting out the vote at both the federal and local levels. “I don’t think it makes any difference if it’s a city council seat, a Congressional seat or President of the United States—we have to teach our young people that voting is a rite of passage,” Becerra said. “If we do that, we will be on the offense and we will win.”

The key, said moderator Jeff Johnson, is to create a culture around civil engagement, and not just the activity of voting.

That’s how it was for previous generations, said panelist Elaine Jones of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

“When black men first got the right to vote in 1870, those broth-ers, five years out of slavery, were there with their little hoes and their hats and their little collars, and for 25 years they didn’t miss a vote,” she said.

“The powers that be have al-ways understood the promise and strength of the black vote. In our hands we have the seed of our own liberation,” said Jones.

But current generations don’t always nurture that seed, Jones said. “It’s our individual duty to self-educate,” she said, as the audience burst into applause. “It’s our duty to educate others. It’s local and it is at home. Black people should be known as the most politically active vote in this nation.”

Jones and other panelists point-ed out that African Americans tend not to vote about issues, but rather for individual people. But Rep. Lewis cautioned, “it’s important that we become organized all across America and not just speak up when there’s an incident. I think in many of our communities we’re just too darn quiet. We need to make some noise. We need to organize.”

Rep. Marcia Fudge agreed. “This election is about us,” she said. “It’s not about the people running; it’s about the policies we support.”

One of the keys to engaging voters is to start young, panelists agreed. Rep. Lewis pointed out that he and his peers received extensive training before they ever became Freedom Riders.

But then, “we got the Civil Rights Act passed and we got complacent. We didn’t teach the John Lewises of the world,” Rep. Becerra said. “We need to teach young folks every day of their lives.” Panelists reinforced

the message that informing public policy and civic engagement is not only for the gifted, talented, future political leaders. “We need to pre-pare the average Joes to stand up and speak up and mobilize,” Rep. Lewis said.

Rep. Joyce Beatty said this con-cept is important not only in politics, but for life in general. “When you get that corner corporate office, you need to remember that somebody needs to be in the file room. People at the highest level don’t bring people along, and then the young folks emulate that,” she said. “When Mr. Lewis and everyone was marching, it wasn’t about them, it was about the cause. We stood on the shoulders of someone—it’s time for us to give a shoulder so our young folks can stand up.”

And with a willingness to start at the community level, Jones said, efforts can go national.

“We used to have voting cru-sades and voter leagues in our com-munities that kept local people in-formed and built awareness,” Jones said. That civic involvement can help forestall crises like Ferguson, she said, because an engaged com-munity votes for the people who run the schools or the police department. It’s 365 days a year of being engaged and knowing the power of our vote.

At its heart, “voting really is the language of democracy,” said Wade Henderson of the Leadership Con-ference on Civil and Human Rights. “Ferguson has given us a moment that will help generate a movement. But I’m now looking for a hashtag that says #handsupgovote.”

Attendees left the session feeling inspired to be leaders of change and activism in their communities.

National Town HallContinued from page 1

#CBCFAlC14

#Itstartswithyou

@Tiffanydloftin “We are all equal when we walk into the voting booth” @jbrownedianis #CBCFALC14 #Vote #VoteReady #Firedup

@JuliaLJohn It often takes #diversity at the top levels of orgs to recognize the value & strength of differences #BlackinBusinessALC #CBCFALC14


Thomas Jefferson Building10 First Street, SEWashington, DC 20540

HOURS:

Monday – Saturday8:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. www.loc.gov

The exhibition is made possible by a generous grant from Newman’s Own Foundation and with additional support from HISTORY®.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964: A Long Struggle for Freedom

commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the act, highlights legal and legislative victories, and sheds light on individuals

who shaped the civil rights movement.

A L O N G S T R U G G L EF O R F R E E D O M

1 9 6 4OF

CIVIL RIGHTS ACTTHE

A Library of Congress Exhibition September 10, 2014 – September 12, 2015

Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia speaks during Inclusion: Afro-Latino Partnerships with State and Civil Societies in the Americas.

CBCF Board of DirectorsChairRep. Chaka FattahMember of Congress

President & CEOMs. a. shuanise WashingtonCongressional Black Caucus Foundation

Vice ChairMR. R. Donahue peeBles the peebles Corporation

SecretaryMR. kevin BRoWnDell, inc.

TreasurerMR. MaRCus seBastian Masonthe Madison Group, LLC

BoaRD MeMBeRs Ms. paMela g. alexanDeR Ford Motor Company Fund

MR. viCtoR angeRstate Farm insurance

MR. geoRge BuRRellkleinbard, Bell & Brecker llp

Rep. anDRé CaRson Member of Congress

MR. anthony CaRteRJohnson & Johnson

MR. kenneth allen ChaRles general Mills

Del. Donna M. ChRistensenMember of Congress

Rep. yvette D. ClaRkeMember of Congress

Rep. eManuel CleaveR, iiMember of Congress

MR. JaMes h. Colontoyota Motor sales

Rep. eliJah e. CuMMingsMember of Congress

Rep. keith ellisonMember of Congress

Ms. Denise JaMes gatlingglaxosmithkline

MR. hill haRpeRuncle Frank, inc.

MRs. Cathy hughesRadio one

Rep. hank JohnsonMember of Congress

MR. lonnie l. Johnsonexxon Mobil Corporation

Ms. ingRiD saunDeRs Jonesthe Coca-Cola Company

JuDge gReg MathisJudge Mathis television show

Rep. gWen MooReMember of Congress

Rep. BoBBy l. RushMember of Congress

Rep. teRRi a. seWellMember of Congress

Ms. shaRon C. tayloRprudential

MR. John thoMpsonBest Buy Corporation

MR. gReg WatsonMcDonald’s usa, llC

CBCF General CounselMs. aMy RoBeRtson golDson, esq.attorney at law

Ex Officio Chair CoRpoRate aDvisoRy CounCilMR. Chaka t. BuRgessamerican gaming association

CBC ChairpersonRep. MaRCia l. FuDgeMember of Congress

CBC Spouses ChairpersonMRs. MeReDa Davis JohnsonBurroughs, Johnson, hopewell, Coleman, llC

By: daniella henry

ContriButor: ViCky uhland

Racism is rife in the Caribbean and South America. Many of these countries are in a

post-conflict era, making them ripe for investment and development. But during the Wednesday session “Inclusion: Afro-Latino Partnerships with State and Civil Societies in the Americas,” panelists said it’s key that Afro descendants be at the table when post-war economic and social decisions are made.

This is particularly important in Colombia—a country largely made up of Afro descendants. The U.S. has provided around $9 billion in narcot-ics assistance, said Gimena Sanchez of the Washington Office on Latin America. But the war on drugs has also forced many Afro-Columbians from their land and put them in danger.

There are around 6 million dis-placed persons in Colombia—second only to the number of displaced Syrians, said Marino Cordoba of the National Association for Internally Displaced Afro Colombians.

Both Cordoba and Sanchez noted that Colombia is at a critical point in the peace process, and it’s essential to include Afro descendants in peace talks and in future U.S. aid efforts. Sanchez called for a doubling of U.S. aid to Colombia, with a special focus on human rights for minority populations.

Colombian Mayor Zulia Mena’s passion for the Afro-Colombian population was palpable. She re-inforced that the struggle goes far beyond basic needs and that in the post-conflict region there is an op-portunity to unify people, prevent violence and give Afro-Colombians political and social power.

Eva Lucia Grueso of the Black Communities Process emphasized that Colombia’s Afro communities have long lived peacefully with indigenous populations. But she agreed with other panelists that even with the best intentions, if minor-ity populations are not part of the decision-making process, the results will not be effective.

Other panelists focused on Caribbean countries. In Honduras, only 8 percent of Afro descendants attend university, compared to 30 percent of white Latinos, said Celeo Alvarez of the Organizacion de Desarrollo Etnico Comunitario Honduras. He called for resolutions

Afro-Latinos Need to be More Involved in Latin American Public Policy

from the United Nations, the Orga-nization of American States and the Congressional Black Caucus recog-nizing the socioeconomic disparity experienced by Afro descendants in his country.

Sonia Espana from Progressive Women Ecuador discussed a non-profit she started that’s focused on microfinance for women. Espana said the women in her Ecuadorian town are disproportionately affected by violence, and economic freedom is the most effective way for them to escape domestic violence.


young artists—it’s so important,” said actress and director Phylicia Ra-shad. “When I hear about the restora-tion of arts education in public schools ... I know it is due to people like you and I thank you with all my heart.”

Rashad, 66, is best known for her role as Claire Huxtable on the hit sitcom, “The Cosby Show,” which aired on NBC from 1984 until 1992. In 2004, she won a Tony Award for her leading performance in “A Raisin in the Sun,” which made her the first African-American woman to win such an award for a lead drama role. Behind the camera, Rashad has direct-ing credits for over five productions; and she portrays Dr. Vanessa Young in the NBC series, “Do No Harm.”

A notable singer-songwriter since the early 1970s, Bill Withers,

76, won Song of the Year Grammys for three mainstream hits: “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Just the Two of Us,” and “Lean on Me.” In 2014, garnering an accolade long overdue, Withers was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for his soulful music, which holds universal appeal.

“I write and sing about whatever I am able to understand and feel,” said Withers. “I feel that it is healthier to look out at the world through a window than through a mirror[,] otherwise, all you see is yourself and whatever is behind you.” After describing his humble upbringing and laying down a few jokes With-ers concluded, thanking the CBCF and CBC Spouses for recognizing his dedication and passion for music.

Dr. Alvin Poussaint, 80, psy-chiatrist and professor at Harvard Medical School, has written more than 100 articles and publications on

African-American culture including, Why Blacks Kill Blacks and Come on, People, a book he wrote with longtime friend Bill Cosby about their visions for families and communities to strengthen America. Poussaint was a script consultant for two of Cosby’s hit production projects, “The Cosby Show” and “A Different World.”

Poussaint expressed his appre-ciation for the special recognition and concluded by saying, “We still have to do something about the remaining residues of racism in this nation. Not only the effects on society, but the ef-fects on black people.”

Another highlight of the evening was performances by music students, whom the proceeds from the Celebra-tion of Leadership in the Fine Arts benefit directly.

Joshua Perkins, a music student at Warren Wilson College in Ashe-ville, NC, performed a cello piece and

Morgan Middleton, an opera perfor-mance student at the University of Southern California, also performed for attendees. The performances demonstrated that the scholarship is more than a financial reward—it is an opportunity to showcase the strong potential of upcoming artists.

“Each year our emerging lead-ers in the arts continue to raise the bar with their performances,” said Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, spouse of Congressman Elijah Cummings, D-Md. “If we do not support the arts we could be cut-ting off our spiritual and emotional future. ... It’s time to invest in the next generation of leaders.”

The CBCF and CBC Spouses continued the recognition of excel-lent black youth on Thursday, Sept. 25, at Dunbar High School, where the winners of the cyber bullying essay contest were announced.

Celebration Continued from page 1

Vice President Joe Biden, front row, center, joins the hosts and their husbands at the CBC Spouses 18th Annual Celebration of Leadership in Fine Arts.

By: tatiana noBoa

For first-time attendees, the reasons for attending the Congressional Black Caucus

Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF) 44th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC), are as unique as the partici-pants themselves.

For Sharon Williams, it was an opportunity to combine two pas-sions. “I am here to learn more about the relationship of education and law,” she said. “Issues I am particularly interested in are the achievement gap and governance, the relationship between the school and the school district.”

Williams, a retired assistant principal from Cleveland, Ohio, still works year-round supervising student teachers as they prepare to enter their profession. “As a retired person, you can lose sight of what needs to be done,” she said. “But as a retired person, you also have time to do what needs to be done.”

Beyond updating herself on what’s going on politically, related to education, Williams regards her presence in Washington this week

as a learning opportunity. Gestur-ing toward the ALC ’14 schedule of events, she said, “I look forward to the opportunity to hear from in-volved, knowledgeable people. I’m going to study the schedule and see what is available.”

Understanding the CBCAnother first-time attendee, Dr.

Arthur J. Greene said, “I’m here to gain knowledge of the function of the Caucus. I’m looking for the op-portunity to network with people who might be able to help me with my business endeavors, both in the government and on the non-govern-mental side.”

One Washington-centric issue that interests Dr. Greene is the con-tinuing lack of a national medical license. “It’s really the most ridicu-lous thing,” he said. “It reminds me of some of those movies that were around when I was small, about people in Eastern European Bloc countries that had to show their pa-pers whenever they crossed a border. That’s literally what medicine is; if you don’t have a license in Virginia, you can’t practice in Virginia. And if I

were in Virginia and saw someone hav-ing an emergency, I couldn’t do a thing. It’s not to the ben-efit of the public and the practice of medicine, it’s detri-mental.”

But, said Dr. Greene, “I’m not really here to talk about that. I’m here to get a better un-derstanding of what the Congressional Black Caucus does, and to learn more about government contracting.”

Team-buildingAngela Smith, superintendent of

recreation, Foss Park District, North Chicago, Ill., said, “There are a couple of our commissioners who came last year. They have nothing but posi-tive things to say about ALC, and I wanted to partake of it this year.”

Smith is in charge of all recreation for the park district: sports programs, event planning and appropriate parts of HR and insurance. “What I really

First-Time ALC Attendees Seek Knowledge, Networking Opportunities

want to focus on while I’m here,” she said, “is the building of teams, and being able to reach out to other constituencies—not just African Americans, but the Hispanic com-munity and others. There was an awesome presentation yesterday at the Education Roundtable; they were talking about being able to get all of the local churches together and actu-ally roll out a program that has that group-to-group connection.”

Each year, 9,000 attend ALC. It is the largest public policy conference for African Americans.

Networking opportunities aplenty at the New Attendee Welcome on Thursday morning.


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Friday Event SummaryNAREB SHIBA Solutions’ Housing Braintrust: Homeownership Priority #1 - Your Roadmap to Prosperity9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.Room 146-CHonorary Host: National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc. (NAREB)Track: Business, Economic Development & Wealth Creation

26th ANNUAL VETERANS BRAINTRUSTLessons for Today’s Returning Iraq and Afghanistan Soldiers and Their Families - “The Homecoming”9:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.Room 145-AHonorary Hosts: Reps. Corrine Brown, Sanford D. Bishop, and Charles RangelTrack: Foreign Affairs & National Security

Black Elected Officials Roundtable9:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.Room 147-BHonorary Host: Rep. Chaka FattahTrack: Special Events

How Big Telecom Mergers Impact Media Diversity and Opportunities for Minority and Women-owned Businesses9:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.Room 140-BHonorary Host: Rep. Maxine WatersSponsored by Prudential FinancialTrack: Business, Economic Development & Wealth Creation

Prostate Cancer in African-American Men9:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.Room 209-BHonorary Host: Rep. Gregory MeeksTrack: Health & Wellness

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BRAINTRUST9:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.Room 145-BHonorary Host: Rep. Eddie Bernice JohnsonTrack: Education & Labor

Sojourner Truth Legacy ProjectWomen in Politics: Seizing the Gavel9:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.Room 144-BCHonorary Hosts: Rep. Yvette Clarke in coordination with CBCFTrack: Community Outreach/Civic Engagement

THE HONORABLE A. LEON HIGGINBOTHAM VOTING RIGHTS BRAINTRUST9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Room 140-AHonorary Host: Rep. Marcia L. FudgeTrack: Civil Rights, Judiciary & History

FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON AFRICA BRAINTRUST9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Room 207-AHonorary Host: Rep. Karen BassTrack: Foreign Affairs & National Security

HEALTH BRAINTRUST9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Room 202-AHonorary Host: Del. Donna ChristensenTrack: Health & Wellness

Exhibit Showcase9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.Hall E WCCHonorary Host: CBCFTrack: Special Events

Avoice Presents Examining the History & Impact of Title VII: Labor, Law and the Civil Rights Act of 196410:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Room 144-AHonorary Host: CBCFTrack: Civil Rights, Judiciary & History

Big Data and Financial Literacy10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Room 209-CHonorary Host: Rep. Hank JohnsonTrack: Business, Economic Development & Wealth Creation

Teens 4 Pink10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Room 201Honorary Host: Rep. Al GreenTrack: Health & Wellness

CHILD WELFARE BRAINTRUSTLeave No Child Behind10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Room 209-AHonorary Host: Rep. Danny K. DavisTrack: Community Outreach/Civic Engagement

ENERGY BRAINTRUSTCreating a Nexus for the World’s Energy Capitals - From the Gulf Coast to the African Coast - How America and Africa Can Create a Virtual Pipeline for Job Creation10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Room 143-CHonorary Host: Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeTrack: Business, Economic Development & Wealth Creation

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BRAINTRUST10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Room 143-BHonorary Host: Rep. James ClyburnTrack: Energy & the Environment

The Haiti We See10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Room 147-AHonorary Host: Rep. Elijah CummingsTrack: Foreign Affairs & National Security

The New Urban Agenda: Building Successful Public-Private Partnerships for Stronger Communities10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Room 207-BHonorary Host: Rep. Frederica S. WilsonTrack: Business, Economic Development & Wealth Creation

POWER to the PEOPLE: Training-Up the Next Generation of Leaders10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Room 202-BHonorary Host: CBCFTrack: Emerging Leaders

JUDICIARY BRAINTRUSTThe Intersection of Criminal Justice Reform and Racial Profiling11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.Room 143-AHonorary Host: Rep. John ConyersTrack: Civil Rights, Judiciary & History

JUDICIARY BRAINTRUSTProtecting the Right to Vote1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.Room 143-AHonorary Host: Rep. John ConyersTrack: Civil Rights, Judiciary & History

My Brother’s Keeper Town Hall1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.Room 2078

Honorary Host: Reps. Steven Horsford, Hakeem Jefferies, and Frederica S. Wilson in coordination with American Federation of TeachersTrack: Business, Economic Development & Wealth Creation

Black America and the War on Poverty: 50 Years Later1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Room 143-BHonorary Host: Rep. Barbara LeeTrack: Business, Economic Development & Wealth Creation

Community Health Centers and the Social Determinant of Health1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Room 143-CHonorary Hosts: Reps. Alcee Hastings and Danny K. DavisTrack: Community Outreach/Civic Engagement

HBCUs: What Does the Future Hold?1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Room 147-AHonorary Host: Rep. Elijah CummingsTrack: Education & Labor

Hip Hop & Politics1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Room 147-BHonorary Host: Rep. André CarsonTrack: Community Outreach/Civic Engagement

Restoring America’s Cities: Black Mayors at the Forefront of Revitalization1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Room 209-AHonorary Host: Rep. Terri A. SewellTrack: Business, Economic Development & Wealth Creation

STEM Education and Employment for African Americans1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Room 145-BHonorary Host: CBCFTrack: Education & Labor

The Youth PROMISE Act: An Evidence Based Approach to Juvenile Crime Prevention1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Room 144-BHonorary Host: Rep. Robert ScottTrack: Community Outreach/Civic Engagement

VETERANS BRAINTRUST1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Room 141Honorary Hosts: Reps. Charles Rangel, Corrine Brown, and Sanford BishopTrack: Foreign Affairs & National Security

Wealth Building in the African-American Community1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Room 209-BHonorary Host: Rep. Gregory MeeksTrack: Business, Economic Development & Wealth Creation

YOUNG GIFTED AND BLACK BRAINTRUST1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Room 206Honorary Host: Rep. Maxine WatersTrack: Emerging Leaders

Building a Global Response to Local Issues such as Health, Education and Economic Empowerment2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Room 140-AHonorary Host: Rep. Karen BassTrack: Community Outreach/Civic Engagement

Cybersecurity: Private and Public Sector Employment in a Changing Landscape2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Room 144-CHonorary Host: Rep. Bennie ThompsonTrack: Foreign Affairs & National Security

Empowering our Entrepreneurs: Building Wealth for Minorities in a Changing Job Market2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Room 144-AHonorary Host: Rep. Donald PayneTrack: Business, Economic Development & Wealth Creation

The 44th Annual Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference Meet/Match Procurement Forum2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Room 146-ABHonorary Hosts: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in coordination with CBCFTrack: Business, Economic Development & Wealth Creation

Education or Politics?2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Room 201Honorary Host: American Federation of TeachersTrack: Community Outreach/Civic Engagement

Black Women Speak: Culture, Community, and Commitment3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.Room 145-AHonorary Host: Rep. Bobby L. RushTrack: Community Outreach/Civic Engagement

JUDICIARY BRAINTRUSTH.R. 40: Sustaining a Dialogue on the Legacy of Slavery3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.Room 143-AHonorary Host: Rep. John ConyersTrack: Civil Rights, Judiciary & History

Protection from Persecution: The Flow of Asylum Seekers of African Descent3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.Room 209-CHonorary Host: Rep. Yvette ClarkeTrack: Foreign Affairs & National Security

The Art of Social Entrepreneurship3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.Room 145-BHonorary Host: CBCFTrack: Emerging Leaders

CBCF’s Chair’s Reception5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.Marriott Marquis 901 Massachusetts Avenue, NWHonorary Host: CBCFTrack: Special Events

CBCF Alumni Networking Reception6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.JP Morgan Chase & Co.601 Pennsylvania Ave, NWHonorary Host: CBCFTrack: Emerging Leaders (Private Event)

ALC Co-Chairs Reception7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.Marriott Marquis 901 Massachusetts Avenue, NWHonorary Host: CBCFHonoring Reps. Joyce Beatty, Sanford Bishop


Create opportunities for your groups to connect.The Sheraton Club provides elite lounge access with complimentary breakfast, hors d’oeuvres, Wi-Fi and a great view. Or connect at the Link@SheratonSM experienced with Microsoft®, where we off er free Wi-Fi and intimate seating for informal networking in our beautifully lit, redesigned lobby. To learn more about how we’re investing to create innovative spaces for your groups, visit Sheraton.com.

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