By Amber D. Dodd Particular to the AFRO adodd@afro.com
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris ship remarks because the Congressional Black Caucus Basis’s Annual Legislative Convention’s pinnacle occasion
On Sept. 23, the Congressional Black Caucus Basis hosted their 52nd annual Phoenix Awards ceremony on the Walter E. Washington Conference Middle in Washington, D.C., to conclude its Annual Legislative Convention. This yr’s session centered on a three-pronged theme: securing our democracy, defending our freedoms and uplifting our tradition.
Emmy-nominated “Abbott Elementary” star Janelle James and “Queen Sugar” actor Kofi Siriboe served as co-hosts of the awards because the CBC highlighted changemakers within the Black neighborhood.
CBCF CEO and President Nicole Austin-Hillery welcomed visitors to the sold-out occasion, expressing pleasure that although Black America is at the moment being challenged on all fronts, the neighborhood continues to be displaying up in strides to guard American values.
She shared tales of the CBC’s work past Congress, together with the CBC Management Institute, the place future Black leaders domesticate area of interest experiences and partnerships with organizations comparable to Siemen to incorporate Black voices on worldwide coverage.
“The CBC has all the time been the conscience of our nation, a reality teller–truths about the place we now have been and the place we should go. Tonight, allow us to proceed to talk reality. Throughout America, there’s a full-on assault on most of the hard-fought, hard-won freedoms that the CBC has achieved.”
“In all kinds of social justice and public coverage points – well being care, the financial system, the disproportionate results of local weather change, and lots of extra – we’ve used training, funding and new initiatives to make an actual distinction within the lives of Black People,” Austin-Hillery stated. “Nothing is extra necessary in that effort than persevering with our scholarship and internship applications.”
The 58 members of this yr’s Congressional Black Caucus comprise the most important cohort but. New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, winner of the CBCF’s Physique Award, spoke to the group’s in depth work since 1971.
“The CBC has fought for racial justice, social justice, financial justice and to convey the American dream to life in each single zip code. We are going to proceed to talk up, we’ll proceed to point out up, we’ll proceed to face up till we attain the promised land of liberty and justice for all,” Jefferies stated upon accepting his award.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris delivered separate addresses in the course of the Phoenix Awards. A lot of the evening’s focus zeroed in on this yr being the ultimate CBC gathering earlier than America enters the 2024 presidential election cycle.
President Biden stated he was impressed by many CBC actions and highlighted that his dedication to the Black neighborhood has been a “promise made and promise stored” throughout his marketing campaign.
“Of us have the audacity to say that I reduce HBCU funding. And other people – let me be clear – we’ve invested greater than $7 billion,” Biden stated. He added, “I made my promise in my marketing campaign the primary Black lady on the US Supreme Courtroom and I meant it. We did it with the help of the CBC, and Ketanji Brown Jackson is on the bench and he or she’s the brightest of anyone on that bench.”
Vice President Harris, a former CBC member when she served as a California senator, touched on the advantages and energy that the caucus holds, particularly in a time the place reproductive rights and gun violence have an effect on Black communities greater than ever.
“The CBC has all the time been the conscience of our nation, a reality teller–truths about the place we now have been and the place we should go,” Harris stated. “Tonight, allow us to proceed to talk reality. Throughout America, there’s a full-on assault on most of the hard-fought, hard-won freedoms that the CBC has achieved.”
Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones (D) was honored with the CBCF’s Chair’s Award for main protests in opposition to Tennessee lawmakers defending gun rights.
Former CBC member Karen Bass, the present mayor of Los Angeles, acquired the Caucus Chair Award for her work in proposing strategies to fight Los Angeles’ homelessness subject.
“It wasn’t a straightforward determination to depart Congress, however I needed to as a result of Black folks in Los Angeles are 8 p.c of our metropolis and 30 p.c of the individuals on our streets. In Los Angeles, that’s 46,000 individuals who sleep on the streets each evening, and each evening 5 of them don’t get up,” Bass stated.
The CBCF additionally awarded these outdoors of Congress comparable to Karine Jean-Pierre, the White Home press secretary who’s the primary overtly LGBTQ+ lady to carry her place. Jean-Pierre was honored with the Honorary Co-Chairs’ Award.
Hip-hop icons MC Lyte and LL Cool J acquired the Tradition’s Icon Award to have a good time their respective achievements within the style throughout its fiftieth yr anniversary.
“Thanks to the whole CBC on your dedication to vary. Since you do what you do, and also you handle the heavy lifting in our communities, we in hip hop get to do what we do and that’s to entertain,” MC Lyte stated.
LL Cool J adopted up, speaking about hip hop tradition’s position in framing Black narratives, even politically.
“In hip hop tradition, we’re not all the time politically right however we’re all the time artistically right. And so this love of this tradition and this love of this artwork wouldn’t be something with out all your help. I wish to commend you on the whole lot that you simply’re doing to make goals come true across the nation for Black males and Black girls like myself, and I’d simply encourage you to go after your goals.”
