Washington, D.C.
Thursday, March 5, 2026
The 2026 Sojourner Truth Legacy Project brought together leaders, women of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and advocates at the Library of Congress during Women’s History Month for a powerful conversation on Black employment, workplace equity, and the structural forces shaping economic opportunity.
Speakers included:
CBC Women Welcome Remarks
- Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell, CBCF Board Chair & U.S. House of Representatives
- Congresswoman Lucy McBath, U.S. House of Representatives
CBC Women Moderators
- Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, U.S. House of Representatives
- Congresswoman Janelle Bynum, U.S. House of Representatives
Panelists
- Gaylynn Burroughs, Vice President for Education & Workplace Justice, National Women’s Law Center
- Janelle Jones, Senior Fellow, Groundwork Collaborative
- Dr. Gabrielle Smith Finnie, Senior Policy Analyst, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
- Shari Dunn, Consultant & Author of Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work
Together, these leaders explored the rising crisis of Black unemployment, the role of workplace scrutiny and “competency checking,” and the policy solutions needed to create more equitable pathways to economic opportunity.
Please credit the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation as the owner of any photos used for editorial purposes.
