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DCCC Employs Innovative Game Plan to Increase New Democratic Majority

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “[We] know that voting is an essential right and that expanding access to ballot is good for our democracy,” said Cheri Bustos, who in her role as DCCC chairwoman, heads what serves as the sole official campaign arm of the Democrats in the House of Representatives. “This legal strategy is only more urgent as Republicans have been emboldened by President Trump’s baseless and disproven claims of voter fraud. We are working to remove barriers to the ballot box and throughout the cycle we are going to keep pushing this work forward. That means devoting serious resources to engaging voters, inspiring them and then making sure they turn out to vote in November.”

Published

4 years ago

February 17, 2020

Oakland Post

A voter takes advantage of the DCCC’s “Cycle of Engagement Initiative” which provides greater access to voting for people of color. / Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA

Campaign Arm of House Dems Expanding Access to Ballot thru Legal Victories

By D. Kevin McNeir, Washington Informer Editor
@dkevinmcneir

With several Democratic presidential hopefuls bowing out of the race following lackluster results in Iowa and New Hampshire, those who remain have set their sights on scoring big in primary elections or caucuses in Nevada, South Carolina and the delegate-rich “Super Tuesday” showdowns (March 3) in their bid to challenge the Republican incumbent, Donald Trump, for control of the White House and Congress.

But their ultimate success, both in the primaries and General Election, may rest on the ability of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee [DCCC] – the official campaign arm of the Dems in the House – to rack up enough victories in pending or future voting rights litigation awaiting rulings in courtrooms throughout the U.S. so that voters backing the Democratic agenda can cast their ballots free of recent voter suppression tactics fueled by Republican legislators in Congress.

DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos. / Courtesy photo

Cheri Bustos, who in her role as DCCC chairwoman, heads what serves as the sole official campaign arm of the Democrats in the House of Representatives, says their mission remains clear: to support Democratic candidates every step of the way, up and down the ballot, in their efforts to both fortify and expand the newly-forged Democratic Majority.

“[We] know that voting is an essential right and that expanding access to ballot is good for our democracy,” she said. “This legal strategy is only more urgent as Republicans have been emboldened by President Trump’s baseless and disproven claims of voter fraud. We are working to remove barriers to the ballot box and throughout the cycle we are going to keep pushing this work forward. That means devoting serious resources to engaging voters, inspiring them and then making sure they turn out to vote in November.”

Bustos notes that when it comes to the litigation, winning ballot access and similarly-related lawsuits which protect early voting days yield positive consequences well beyond the current election cycle of 2020, particularly for Blacks – still disproportionately disenfranchised despite both record-breaking numbers of Blacks elected to Congress and the landmark, two-term victory of Barack Obama as the nation’s first African-American president. Thus, their efforts serve as critical civil rights work with the Democratic party leading the way.

Initiatives Launched to Foster Dems’ Success in 2020

Last Spring, the DCCC unfolded a multi-million dollar program, “March Forward,” which began with 60-plus field organizers in battleground states across the U.S. ahead of November 2020 – the earliest they’ve ever begun to engage Democratic coalitions as they attempt to take grassroots organizing to the next level. Following on the program’s positive results in 2018, field managers receive training in communications, digital, research and field tactics – all aimed toward executing more modern campaign strategies.

Since its inception, March Forward looks bring more Americans, in cities big and small, into the Democratic Party while continuing the DCCC’s heralded “Cycle of Engagement” – a program designed to foster greater voter registration drives within communities of color.

Bustos says March Forward continues to be an important step in the path to solidify and increase the Democratic Majority.

“As Democrats, we’ve always drawn our strength from the people we fight for each and every day… and our first major investment of the 2020 cycle [March Forward] puts boots on the ground in dozens of communities across America,” she said. “Whether it’s tackling the high cost of health care or fighting for fair wages, we believe in an America where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”

House Majority Whip (Rep.) Jim Clyburn (SC-06). / Courtesy photo

As an example of their hard work, the DCCC recently celebrated a legislative victory in South Carolina, just ahead of the upcoming State primary, which opens access to the ballot for nearly one million unregistered voters, 400,000 of whom they estimate to be people of color.

A spokesperson for the DCCC said the next several weeks should be viewed as crucial in the organization’s year-long efforts to both solidify and increase the Democratic Party’s base of voters of color.

Late last month, Bustos, along with House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) and DCCC General Counsel Marc Elias, held a press conference during which they highlighted a legislative victory that should be celebrated by all Americans.

A collaborative effort initiated by the South Carolina Democratic Party and the DCCC recently led to the elimination of South Carolina’s requirement – one which they deemed as unconstitutional – that potential voters provide their full nine-digit Social Security number when registering to vote.

The lawsuit served as part of an eight-figure investment from the DCCC and DSCC in their collective battle to fight voter suppression laws across the country.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.