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CJ Epps
202.263.2800
media@CBCFinc.org

WASHINGTON — Dr. Elsie L. Scott, interim president and CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF), released the following statement recognizing a special day and month for women.

“Today, on International Women’s Day, I am honored to celebrate women and girls around the world. I especially want to recognize the incredible contributions that African American women — individually and collectively — have made to this country. With a legacy of accomplishments, the women of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) not only educate and inspire women of color in the United States, but countless women across the globe.

“The National Women’s History Alliance’s 2019 Women’s History Month theme is Visionary Women: Champions of Peace & Nonviolence. The theme honors ‘women who have led and are leading efforts to end war, violence, and injustice through nonviolent strategies.’

“African American women are at the forefront of today’s changing political landscape in the United States. However, while they have often been absent from many of our nation’s narratives about the fight for equality, black women are not new to leadership and have always been visionary champions of peace and nonviolence. From organizing and leading boycotts, marches, vigils, strikes and sit-ins, to demonstrating the power of voice in support of civil rights, suffrage, and anti-lynching laws and calling for an end to discrimination and violence against women and girls, women of color have raised the nation’s consciousness, helping to shape America’s history and its future.

“Maya Angelou once said, ‘Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.’ And while a single woman has the power to make a difference, a group of women has impact beyond measure. Of the 131 women in the 116th Congress, 25 of them are African American. Today, the women of the CBC are making their own political history by breaking barriers and blazing paths across our nation in the ongoing fight for equality, inclusion and justice.

“As we celebrate the historical advancement of women in political participation and representation, we must recognize that there is still much work to do. Now more than ever, Black women are confronted with the need for new strategies for public education, health care, gun control, income equality, racial justice and much more. Their strength, bravery and unwavering resilience in the face of adversity are critical to ensuring that conversations regarding race and gender result in positive actions.

“Because of them we can! For generations, the stories of African women’s lives have given a voice to the unrepresented and hope to victims of violence who dream of a peaceful world. We celebrate the achievements of our sisters around the world, but we remain committed to gender equality and building a gender-balanced world.”

ABOUT CBCF
Established in 1976, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) is a non-partisan, nonprofit, public policy, research and educational institute committed to advancing the global black community by developing leaders, informing policy and educating the public. For more information, visit cbcfinc.org.

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