Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Houston) was recently elected to serve as Vice-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Board.
The mission of the CBCF is to advance the global African American community by developing leaders, informing policy, and educating the public. Its vision is for all communities to have an equal voice in public policy through leadership cultivation, economic empowerment, and civic engagement. As Vice Chair, Congresswoman Jackson Lee will help lead the CBCF at a time of exponential growth with the expansion of the Leadership Institute education programs, the Center for Policy Analysis and Research New Horizon Initiatives.
“I am very proud to have the confidence of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Board and to have this opportunity to build upon the mission and vision of its founders, the Congressional Black Caucus,” said Congresswoman Jackson Lee.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee is a seasoned member of the House of Representatives, and currently serves as a Senior Member of the House Homeland Security Committees, and the House Judiciary Committee, where she is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations. In this newly-elected role, Congresswoman Jackson Lee plans to work with the Board Chair, fellow board members, and her Congressional Black Caucus colleagues to advance the CBCF’s mission to positively impact the future by investing in children and bringing more of the resources of the CBCF outside of the beltway.
“Each new member of our board brings a wealth of public policy, business, and financial acumen from successful careers and service in government, Congress, and more,” said Congresswoman Jackson Lee. “I look forward to working with the other exceptional individuals on the Board to strengthen the Board’s expertise, and I am confident that the newly elected officers and directors will make significant contributions to the CBCF.”
Other leaders of the Board are Chair Mr. R. Donahue Peebles, chairman and chief executive officer, The Peebles Corporation, Mr. Earle Jones, senior director of government affairs, Comcast, NBC Universal and Ms. Cathy Hughes, founder and chairperson, Radio One, will serve as secretary and treasurer, respectively.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee plans to work the CBCF to bring opportunities like the Meet and Match programs she initiated at the last three Annual Legislative Conferences, to other cities outside the Beltway, where corporations have been matched together with various government entities in order to create new and enhanced business opportunities.
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated, established in 1976, is a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy, research and educational institute intended to broaden and elevate the influence of African Americans in the political, legislative and public policy arenas.
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.