People of color are dying at a higher rate from COVID. #BlackLivesMatter is putting police violence center stage. Black owned businesses are struggling. @SpeakerAJones, the first woman & first Black Speaker of the Maryland House, knows this is the moment for a Black Agenda.
1/8
@SpeakerAJones Jones served in the Maryland House for 20+ years before assuming the speakership. During that time, she also worked as a civil servant in Baltimore government, the county where she was born & raised. Her no-nonsense approach to legislating made her a leader among colleagues.
2/8
@SpeakerAJones Since she became speaker in April of 2019, Jones has pushed for increased funding for HBCUs & the repeal of legislation that has shielded police officers from accountability. She’s been a champion for education funding, especially prioritizing school construction.
3/8
@SpeakerAJones Last month, Jones put forward a package of 30 policy recommendations to address systemic racism. As she explained to @washingtonpost, “The 106 speakers before me, they would not put [this] as a priority. Historically, there has been a white agenda.”
4/8
@SpeakerAJones @washingtonpost At the top of her Racial Justice Agenda is an effort to expand economic opportunities by increasing resources for Black entrepreneurs, prioritizing diversity in state contracts, & creating an equal path to homeownership for more Black Marylanders.
5/8
@SpeakerAJones @washingtonpost Jones has long advocated for the diversity of state employees, a mission she’s now extending to companies doing business with Maryland. She’s calling for increasing minority business participation in public contracts & requiring diversity on the boards of contracted-companies
6/8
@SpeakerAJones @washingtonpost Also high on the agenda is addressing the severe health disparities in Black & other minority communities. That means declaring racism a public health emergency, expanding access to healthy foods, & requiring racial bias training for health care workers.
7/8
@SpeakerAJones @washingtonpost Jones knows it’s ambitious, but the time demands it. “As the 1st Black speaker in Maryland history, I cannot waste this moment. Justice & equity reaches further than police reform. We must create better access & more pathways to economic opportunities. We must get it right.”
8/8

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More from @DLCC

9 Feb
When Emilia Sykes became an Ohio legislator, she had trouble getting in the statehouse. Security often searched & questioned her while white lobbyists & aides walked in freely. One day she asked the officer why he wouldn’t let her in. “You don’t look like a state legislator.”
1/7 Image
Sykes always knew representation matters. Growing up as a dancer, she saw the diverse bodies of the Alvin Ailey troupe, letting her know she could grace the stage too. But in the portraits lining the halls of Ohio's statehouse, it was clear white men had long held that space.
2/7
But now, as the House minority leader of the most diverse Democratic caucus in Ohio history, Sykes is leading the agenda, helping pass more bills in her first year than were passed in the previous two sessions combined.
3/7
Read 7 tweets
7 Feb
In the post Civil War era of Reconstruction, some 2,000 Black men served in public office, 600+ in state legislatures. While the number of Black leaders was far from representative of the Black population, their elections were nonetheless a testament to Black organizing power
1/7 Image
After the union declared victory in 1865, the Black community organized Equal Rights Leagues, protested discrimination, & demanded suffrage. Following the ratification of the 14th & 15th amendments, Union League branches encouraged Black political activism across the south.
2/7
The newly elected legislators during this period came from a range of backgrounds. Many had been born into slavery, like Alabama’s Jeremiah Haralson & Florida’s Charles Pearce. Others, like Arkansas’ William Henry Grey & Georgia’s Tunis Campbell, were born free.
3/7
Read 7 tweets
18 Sep 20
BREAKING: We’ve just released 15 Wisconsin Spotlight candidates! Dems are poised to block a GOP supermajority in both chambers, which would protect Gov. Evers’ veto power & our ability to fight Wisconsin’s notoriously gerrymandered maps. Here are our champions:
1/9
💙@NealPlotkin1, a small business owner & son of first-generation Americans who'll fight to make Wisconsin the best place to live & work
💙@SenSchachtner, the chief medical examiner for St. Croix County who is working on the front lines of the pandemic & mental health crisis
2/9
@NealPlotkin1 @SenSchachtner 💙@Piotrowski4Sen, a lifelong Wisconsinite, US Navy veteran, & retired police officer who will fight for the issues impacting families
💙@HansenforWI, a De Pere City council member who is committed to fighting for economic development & fair legislative maps
3/9
Read 9 tweets
15 Sep 20
BREAKING: We’ve just released 18 Florida Spotlight candidates! Democrats are competing for more seats than Republicans this year, an unmistakable sign of momentum, and are within striking distance of majorities in both chambers! Here are the candidates:
1/11
💙Dr. @KayserEnneking, a lifelong Gainesville resident & practicing physician who is advocating for Medicaid expansion
💙@HenryFor26, a Daytona Beach native who’s running to reclaim his seat in the House & keep fighting for quality education
2/11
@KayserEnneking @HenryFor26 💙@tracey4florida, a criminal defense attorney who has spent years fighting for justice in her community
💙Rep. @joyforfl, who championed legislation to protect Florida’s natural resources & to adopt a commonsense approach to gun safety
3/11
Read 11 tweets
8 Sep 20
BREAKING: We’ve just announced 8 new Spotlight candidates running for the Pennsylvania legislature, bringing our total number of Keystone state Democrats to 28 outstanding community members...
1/6
💙@PaulFrielforPA, an accomplished small business owner who’s ready to leverage his experience to make government work for everyone
💙@LissaforPA, an educator & children’s advocate who is fighting to make sure everyone in her community enjoys the same opportunities she did
2/6
@PaulFrielforPA @LissaforPA 💙@jessicalbenham, a union organizer & community leader who will continue to fight for access to health care & voting rights in Harrisburg
💙@NapoleonFor154, a financial professional who is running to build 21st-century schools & defend civil & voting rights for all
3/6
Read 6 tweets
27 Aug 20
BREAKING: We just released 21 Georgia Spotlight candidates who are ready to make significant gains in the state House & deliver a blow to the entrenched GOP leadership.
1/12
💙@KyleRinaudo, a millennial teacher who’s running to defeat an extremist GOP legislator and strengthen public education
💙@ElectLuisa, a cardiac intensive care nurse who came within 800 votes of flipping her district in 2018
2/12
@KyleRinaudo @ElectLuisa 💙@connie4georgia, a dedicated state leg staffer who’s ready to use her experience to deliver results for her community
💙@TindallSara, an 8th generation Georgian who has devoted her life to protecting democracy at home and abroad
3/12
Read 12 tweets

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