The 47th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) will take place September 20 to 24, 2017 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C., and it will be the first one to be held with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), who represents the historic 18th Congressional District of Texas, serving as the Chairperson of the CBCF.
The ALC is a leading policy conference on issues impacting the national and global African American communities. Thought leaders, legislators and concerned citizens engage on economic development, social justice, public health and education issues which affect African Americans.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee has expressed both her excitement and commitment, along with the rest of the board, at the opportunity to engage with experts, industry leaders, citizen activists and other elected officials at the ALC, and they are looking forward to exploring today’s issues from an African American perspective.
“Hurricane Harvey hit Texas and the Gulf region with 50 inches of rain causing flooding of a magnitude never seen before,” said Congresswoman Jackson Lee. “Harvey was singularly one of the most catastrophic hurricanes and flooding in the history of the United States. Three million people may be displaced and 600,000 plus applications were submitted to FEMA. This deadly hurricane hit low income individuals and communities of color extensively. We know the pain, but we also know the resilience and joy that has come from the people of this region. The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation is committed to standing by these hurricane survivors and those of hurricane Irma. We will be helping the survivors of both of these hurricanes to construct and advocate for a powerful and significant response to their families, seniors, children, small businesses and other needs. Join us at the 47th Annual Legislative Conference of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation to honor these survivors, to speak loudly for their recovery, and to learn that the African American community will not be denied its civil rights that are being dismantled by the President of the United States and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Nor will they be denied their right to recovery, because as our theme says for this year’s legislative conference, ‘And Still I Rise’.”
Thematic sessions and brain trusts during the Conference will include: the Sojourner Truth Legacy Project Town Hall Meeting, National Town Hall Meeting focusing on ‘Fighting the Systemic Destruction of our Civil Rights’, Faith Leaders Roundtable, Chair’s Reception, Annual Prayer Breakfast, Phoenix Awards Reception & Dinner and other networking receptions and workshops.
Forward Times readers may remember us highlighting earlier this year that for the first time in its more than four decade history, the CBCF had unanimously elected Congresswoman Jackson Lee as its first female member as its chairperson. Congresswoman Jackson Lee is no stranger to the CBCF, and has been actively involved with it for years, serving as Co-Chair of the Annual Legislative Conference, and prior to her new role, as Vice-Chair of the Board.
The CBCF, which is best known for its ALC, conducts the bulk of its work helping shape the leaders of tomorrow by awarding hundreds of fellowships and internships to minorities each year, providing scholarships, and focusing on its foreign exchange programs, extensive research, and economic development. The CBCF has awarded an estimated over million dollars of scholarships to talented and deserving students for nearly three decades. Each year, the CBCF awards more than 200 scholarships to students across the United States. Recipients demonstrate leadership ability through exemplary community service and academic talent, while other received need-based scholarships to reward their persistence in pursuing a quality education. The CBCF scholarship programs support current or upcoming college students across a variety of disciplines. The CBCF has also placed more than 150 Congressional Fellows since 1976 and produced more than 1,500 alumni in our Leadership Institute for Public Service since 2000. It has also brought together the nation’s top policy experts, legislators, community leaders and citizen activists to address disparities in education, economic opportunity, public health and the environment through research, forums, brain trusts, town halls and policy briefings.
For more information about the 47th Annual Legislative Conference and about the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, please visit www.cbcfinc.org.