Please join us for our 2021 Women’s History Month Chucks & Pearls Virtual Brunch on Sunday, March 28, 2021 from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM. Come celebrate with us as we pay homage to our Vice President, the Honorable Kamala Harris and reflect on the quote of the late, great Lena Horne, “It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s the way you carry it.”. Our panel will explore the works of Black Women, their status and the journey of their standing, how we have evolved. This is a fundraiser to raise funds to support Black women who are running for office.
Honoring first-responders & healthcare workers in Westchester County
Panel Discussion reflecting on the famous quote of the late, great Lena Horne, “It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” Featuring our dynamic panelists…. – Autum A. Arnett, Communications Director, SHE SHOULD RUN – https://www.sheshouldrun.org/ – Hon. Terry Clements, Westchester County Legislator & President, WESTCHESTER BLACK DEMOCRATS – https://www.theblackdems.com/ – Cydnei Drake, Southeast Region Program Manager, iGNiTE – https://ignitenational.org/ – Tiffany M. Gardner, CEO, REFLECT US – https://reflect.us/conversation-womens-political-leadership/ Moderated by our own wonderfully conscientious Alexandria Connally, EdD, CEO & Founder, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE ENVIRONMENTS & DISCIPLINE
Trivia Contest Prizes
Prize for most fashion-forward Chucks (Be prepared to show them off!)
+ Entertainment!
Accepting donations of $25 or more for this fantabulous event! Please register at https://www/wbwpc.org/contribute/ Here’s the sponsorship opportunity form. Please share this announcement widely with your family and friends and within all of your circles and networks.
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Please join us on Saturday, December 19, 2020 at 2 PM to learn more about the pandemic issues, become better informed about the guidelines and obtain all the details on the available vaccinations and the ones on the horizon. Our expert panelists:
Wafaa El-Sadr, MD, MPH, MPA Director of ICAP Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine Mathilde Krim-amFAR Professor of Global Health Columbia University
Tsion Firew, MD Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Columbia University Irving Medical Center Advisor to the Ministry of Health Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
lend their expertise to answer your questions. The panel will be moderated by our own, Hon. Shawyn Patterson Howard, Mayor of the City of Mount Vernon.
Tell everyone you know and join us to become better informed as we all learn how to improve and safeguard our lives and our health and that of those we care about!
Please attend, bring your young ones (kids and young adults) and a chair and continue to spread the word throughout your organization and networks! We’re hosting a Youth Rally this Tuesday, August 11, 2020 in Greenburgh at Yosemite Park, 40 Yosemite Ave., White Plains, NY 10607. The new president of our Mount Vernon Chapter, Ke-Myra McCann will serve as the MC and DJ Tri-State Jericko will set the mood with music and Greenburgh’s own, KJ Leek will perform. The rally is for all the youth of Westchester County…. ***Be Inspired***Renew Hope & VOTE*** Info on Voting, Black Lives Matter, Black Votes Matter, the US Census & MORE will be covered and provided! Our own Hon. NYS Senate Leader/President Andrea Stewart Cousins will be in attendance. Our special guests include…
– KRISTA B. CREACY, Co-Chair, FLY Life Young Adult Ministries, Union Baptist Church
– NICOLAS DAVIS, Westchester Youth Services
– VINCENT FIELDS, President, Westchester Young Democrats
– TYRAE WOODSON-SAMUELS, Deputy Director of Constituent Services, Office of US Congressman Eliot Engel
Mr. Woodson Samuels and our own Dr. Connally will lead the guests in an inspiring conversation on getting out the vote and why youth must be involved citizens.
All youth, youth groups, advocacy groups similar to ours and the like are encouraged to support and participate! Plus, our own Colby Jenkins-Ceasar of Tasty Tuesdays will have her wonderful morsels and dinners for sale!
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This micro summit via Zoom is about the crisis of racial injustice in American law enforcement reignited most recently by the brutal murder of George Floyd, killed by Minneapolis, Minn., police. As peaceful protests take place across the globe our participants will assist as we search for understanding and possible remedies. Panelists:
Hon. Andrea Stewart-Cousins NYS Senate Majority Leader/President
Hon. NewYorkStateAttorneyGeneral Letitia James
Mayo Bartlett, Esq., The Law Offices of Mayo Bartlett PLLC
Ken Jenkins, Westchester Deputy County Executive
Kenneth Chamberlain, Jr., Co-Founder, Westchester Coalition for Police Reform
Ret. Sgt. Paul Hood, President, Westchester Rockland Guardians Assoc., Inc.
Sorraya Sampson President & CEO, Urban League of Westchester County, Inc.
Reverend Erwin Lee Trollinger, Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, White Plains, NY
As are most, the Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus, Inc. is motivated by this pivotal moment in the middle of a global health pandemic. Incited by the despicable manner of George Floyd’s murder, we are in awe of all the protests taking place in our nation and across the world during the pandemic to recognize #Black Lives Matter and it is our hope protest politics transform into a systematic dismantling and restructuring for substantive change.
There are no words to offer justice to the pain and anguish of racism and oppression. The knee on our collective neck is the structural racism that our country was built upon, it is persistent and pervasive in every aspect of our lives. We have lived with and taught our children unwritten survival protocols for generations. We are afraid to simply go for a run, to drive, to sit in our homes and eat ice cream, or to even watch birds.
We also know that racism has taken every opportunity from us to feel like we can breathe without oppression in housing, education, health, and the criminal legal system. The public lynching of Black human beings takes our breath away and the constant structural racism is killing us slowly, leaving us gasping for air as we call out for real change through anti-racist policies. What makes it hard to catch a breath is we know the system is not broken, for it was designed by white supremacist slave-owners, who kidnapped our ancestors and brought them to stolen indigenous land to protect their interest and the system is working just as it was designed to do.
Given the WBWPC’s 44-year old history and commitment to racial equity, a statement condemning the deaths of Black human beings at the hand of government-sanctioned racism should come as no surprise, and in fact, should be expected. We’re an organization of black women and we work to claim power at state and local levels of government, so our voice is important and needed.
We are encouraged by the diversity of the protest crowds and encourage all to speak out: to speak out to others, to those of differing backgrounds, to White people. We need to help others understand to be anti-racist is to sit and listen without defense or fragility to people of color with lived expertise. To study and understand the racialized history of our country and to consistently and persistently speak and act loudly and boldly and be more than an ally, but a co-conspirator for our shared liberation. We need to center the voices of our people and speak out consistently to fix the problems, not just when there is another Black person killed for all of the world to see.
We support House and Senate Democrats’ broad police reform bill, Justice in Policing Act released on Monday in hopes of turning the energy of the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests into concrete legal changes that could make it easier to prosecute police misconduct. We are supportive of this bill as it would ban choke-holds and no-knock warrants and lynching would become a federal crime for the first time. The bill would also place new limits on federal funding for local and state police, requiring bias training and the use of de-escalation tactics in order for grants to be approved. The bill would curtail the transfer of military weaponry to state and local police.
We also support and call on building consensus for…
Police violence cannot be addressed in a vacuum, it needs to be addressed in a broader sense and structure involving legislation at all levels of government.
A strengthening of the accountability that exists between our communities and our law enforcement.
Federal verified registry with an accessible public database for transparency of prior disciplinary records of police officers
Reallocation of police funding
Full voting rights restoration
False race-based 911 reports should be considered hate crimes
Create a Federal Cabinet Secretary of Human Rights
Create a mental health component of the 911 system, so police would not be first responders to certain mental health 911 calls
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The COVID-19 virus is still affecting people in Westchester County, we urge you to follow the guidelines and stay safe. In the United States, African-Americans are dying at devastatingly higher rates from COVID-19. Take every precaution and stay abreast of the latest information. Check out Essence magazine’s informational site.
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We look forward to seeing you there! Select ‘Contribute’ on the right to buy tickets. You may also mail checks to: WBWPC, P. O. Box 213, Elmsford, NY 10523
Please join us for the Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus’ Annual Leadership Breakfast during the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators’ Annual Legislative Weekend. Our Breakfast is always held on Sunday morning before the conference church service. Join us this year on Sunday, February 16, 2020 at 7 AM at the Albany Hilton. We’re super excited about our honorees and panelists…
Glynda C. Carr, President, CEO & Co-Founder, Higher Heights for America
Anthony M. Harmon, Vice President, American Federation of Teachers, Chief of Staff, United Federation of Teachers & President, Harlem Branch, NAACP
The breakfast will also feature a silent auction, a cash 50/50 raffle, door prizes and our Alice C. Scott Award! Tickets are $65 and available at… www.wbwpc.org/contribute
As your donation will help us to be a help to women of color running for elected office, we hope we can count on your support!
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Our ‘How to Thrive (not strive) in Westchester for the Ladies’ Fall Workshop & Luncheon Fundraiser will be held at the Crowne Plaza in White Plains, NY on Saturday, October 26, 2019, 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM. A continental breakfast and buffet lunch will be served. We will also hold a 50/50 raffle and offer many free giveaways!
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, our theme is focused on women and ensuring awareness of the nuances of how to maneuver in Westchester County. We will host five workshop sessions and each will include a Q&A. Our workshop presenters will also be honored during the luncheon and we’re super excited to have award-winning international speaker, best-selling author & founder of Destiny Designers University®, Dr. Stacie NC Grant (https://www.facebook.com/StacieNCGrant) as our celebrity guest host. She will open the event with a motivational exercise and be absolutely delightful as our Mistress of Ceremonies during the luncheon portion. We’ve planned the workshops to empower and energize our attendees and to assist them to not just strive, but actually offer key points so women can thrive in Westchester County. A portion of our proceeds will be donated to an organization focused on breast cancer awareness/research.
The following workshops will empower and energize to not just strive, but actually offer key points so you can thrive in Westchester County…
STEERING YOUR CHILD THROUGH HIS/HER BEST EDUCATION by : Andrea Coddett, EdD, Deputy Superintendent, Yonkers Public Schools -How to lessen the learning, opportunity & achievement gaps -Building better bridges between student/teacher/parent-guardian
‘I’M VOTING THREE TIMES A YEAR, BUT WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN’ by Hon. Ruth Hassell-Thompson, NYS Special Advisor & Former NYS Senator, 6th District -The importance on why every election matters and how votes matter starting at the local levels (included school district elections) and primaries -How not to feel discouraged and/or overwhelmed by all the propaganda
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, HOW TO IMPROVE & NAVIGATE IT by: Verris B. Shako, Esq., Verris B. Shako Law Firm -How to get justice when the system seems so slanted -Ways to combat racial barriers
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN WESTCHESTER’S CRAZY HOUSING MARKET by: Rev. L’Judie Matt-Simmons, President & CEO, LJ Sims, LLC -What does affordable housing mean, where to find and how to obtain it -Avoid sexism when buying
LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE: WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE – A NECESSARY COMPONENT by: Judith Watson, BN, RN, MPH, Interim CEO, Mt. Vernon Neighborhood Health Center Network -Ways to promote knowledge for better health -Reducing disparities experienced by minorities/women
The workshops will be super informative and your burning questions will be answered! Stayed tuned for a list of our co-sponsors as an indicator of all the brochures and informative literature available.
Please consider purchasing an advertisement in our commemorative journal. Here’s the form:
Join our Mount Vernon Chapter on Saturday, September 28, 2019 from 8 AM to 8 PM for a day of fun, shopping and dinner at Wind Creek Casino & Hotel in Bethlehem, PA. The bus leaves at 8 AM from 14 North Columbus Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY. Another great time is guaranteed and you will support our Mount Vernon Chapter in their political and socio-economic endeavors. Call 914-606-0366 for more information.
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Join our Yonkers Chapter on Sunday, August 25, 2019 from 2 PM to 6 PM for their annual Summer Soiree fundraiser at 40 North Caribbean Kitchen & Bar, 100 River Street, 2nd Floor, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. A great time is guaranteed and you will support our Yonkers Chapter in their political and socio-economic endeavors. We look forward to seeing you!
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Join our Mount Vernon Chapter on Sunday, July 21, 2019 from 4 PM to 7 PM for their annual fish fry fundraiser. A great time is guaranteed and you will support our Mount Vernon Chapter in their political and socio-economic endeavors. We look forward to seeing you!
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We look forward to seeing you there! Select ‘Contribute’ on the right to buy tickets and submit payments for journal ads. You may also mail checks to: WBWPC, P. O. Box 213, Elmsford, NY 10523 WBWPC JOURNAL AD FORM_FILLABLE
Join us for a great breakfast and for great conversation with our ceiling breakers…
– NYS Senator, Senate Majority Leader & President Andrea Stewart-Cousins
– NYS Attorney General Letitia James
and enjoy a much need discussion lead by Sharon Nelson, Founder & CEO, Civically Rengaged Women (CREW)
with the Senator and our AG as well as our other honorees…
– Professor Janell Hobson, Chair, Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, University at Albany, SUNY
– Gabby Seay, Political Director, 1199 SIEU United Healthcare Workers East
– Paul Webster, Community Outreach Director, NYS United Teachers (NYSUT)
– Rev. Dr. Roxanne Jones Booth, Co-Pastor, Riverview Missionary Baptist Church, Coeymans, NY
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A voter registration form and/or an absentee ballot is the gift that keeps giving! It is a right we should not take for granted, it’s a right that defines our nation as a democracy. Select one of these options that will populate the forms for your graduate or request a beautiful gift box sent directly to them, customized with their specific state’s forms and a personal note from you.
Is your graduate going away to school? Remember to ensure his/her vote while away with an Absentee Ballot
Do you prefer an actual gift box?
The Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus would be honored to gift your graduate with this priceless gift. Just email us at info@wbwpc.org with….
student’s name
their home state
their mailing address
and your personal note
and we will send a beautifully wrapped graduation gift box packed with both a voter registration form and an absentee ballot for their correct state and your personalized note.
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For tickets select the ‘CONTRIBUTE’ button on the upper right of this page.
Dear Supporters and Elected Officials:
The Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus, Inc. (WBWPC) is excited to host our 2018 Leading Ladies of Westchester County Awards Brunch at The Westchester Marriott Hotel, 670 White Plains Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591 on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at 11:00 AM.
We are a five-chapter, multi-partisan, political organization with chapters in the Greater Peekskill Area, Greenburgh-White Plains, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, and Yonkers. For over 42 years, the WBWPC has been vital in promoting the inclusion of African Americans, women in particular, in all phases of the political process. Your support at this event will assist us in continuing to project and pursue causes and candidates who believe in the improvement of socioeconomic issues (i.e.: poverty, disparities in health, low education levels, justice system inequalities, racism, etc.) and the political advancement of black women.
We request the pleasure of your company at our event recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness and honoring the following Leading Ladies in Westchester County who have demonstrated diligence in community involvement and exemplified true leadership.
Rev. Margaret Coleman, First Lady, Assoc. Minister & Christian Education Pastor, Messiah Baptist Church, Yonkers, NY
Pastor Lady Alonda Hassell, First Lady & Pastor of Training & Development, Kingdom Christian Cultural Center, Yonkers, NY
Hon. Nadine Hunt-Robinson, Esq., Common Councilperson, City of White Plains, NY & First Lady, First Community Baptist Church, White Plains, NY
Lynn McBride, Board Member, Southern Westchester BOCES Board of Education & Former President, City of Mount Vernon Board of Education
Dr. Brenda L. G. Smith, United Nations NGO Representative, World Federation of Methodist & Uniting Church Women; Former Superintendent of Schools, Mt. Vernon, NY & First Lady, Mount Hope A.M.E. Zion Church, White Plains, NY
Loretta Taylor, Chairperson, Planning Board, Town of Cortlandt, NY
Pamela Wheeler, Esq.
Lecturer, Graduate Sports Management Program, Columbia University, New York, NY; Chairperson, Board of Trustees, Bethesda Baptist Church, New Rochelle, NY & Former Director, WNBPA
We are happy to provide the biographies to share the many accomplishments of our honorees to create proclamations, should your office desire to present these wonderful women during our event.
The donation to attend the event is $ 85 per ticket in advance or $ 95 at the door. You may also purchase a table of ten at a discounted price of $ 800.
We also seek sponsorships at the following levels:
Trailblazer
Incl. Full Table of 10, Name Displayed on Step & Repeat/Banner, Full Page Commemorative Keepsake Journal Ad & Photo Op w/Awardees for Post-Event Press Release
$ 3,000.00
Champion
Incl. Full Table of 10, Name Displayed on Step & Repeat/Banner & ½ Page Commemorative Keepsake Journal Ad
$ 2,000.00
Believer
Incl. Full Table of 10 & Name Displayed on Step & Repeat/Banner
$ 1,000.00
Click here for our sponsorship/journal form and ticket donations may be sent together with the form.
Please submit your camera- ready journal advertisement on or before September 21, 2018 to: events4wbwpc@gmail.com
You may also mail the advertisement via US Postal Service to our address at…
WBWPC, Inc., P. O. Box 213, Elmsford, NY 10523
Should you have any questions, concerns or require any additional information please contact our Fall Fundraising Committee Co-Chairperson, Jean Anderson at (920) 41-LADYZ.
Thank you in advance, for your support and we look forward to seeing you at our 2018 Leading Ladies of Westchester County Awards Brunch.
Sincerely,
Jewel F. Williams, President
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The Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus is more than pleased to announce their 36th Annual Leadership Breakfast during the NYS Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators‘ 47th Annual Legislative Conference at the Albany Marriott located at 189 Wolf Road, Albany, NY 12205. This year our annual breakfast theme is ‘The Revitalization of Integrity, Democracy & Justice’ . Although, we usually have a keynote speaker, this year we have planned a different format with an interview session/a conversation and we are excited to present Karine Jean-Pierre of Move-on.org, legendary activist Barbara Smith (‘Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around’) and Nantasha Williams of the Women’s March. All of whom will be led in conversation by the the esteemed Dr. Irma McClaurin, activist, anthropologist, awarding winning author & past president of Shaw University! We can’t wait for what promises to be a much needed in-depth, comprehensive & uplifting conversation with all of these wonderful sisters sharing their knowledge! . Our special Mistress of Ceremonies is Albany’s own Elaine Houston of WNYT’s News Channel 13 and our more than deserving honoree is Hon. Dorcey Applyrs, DrPH, Albany City Councilperson, Ward 1.
The membership of the Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus, Inc. held elections on March 25, 2017 and elected new executive committee officers….
Jewel F. Williams, President
Subomi Macaulay, First Vice President
Phyllis Shelton, Second Vice President
Chrystalia King, Treasurer
Keturah Hadley, Recording Secretary
Jean Anderson, Corresponding Secretary
Nora Boggs*, Financial Secretary
The new officers were officially inducted at a wonderful swearing-in ceremony attended by over 50 members and guests on Thursday, April 6, 2017 at 7:30 PM at the Theodore D. Young Community Center in Greenburgh/White Plains, NY hosted by the Caucus Election Committee, chaired by Sandra Blackwood.
Jewel Williams
Jewel Williams offered the following remarks at the swearing-in ceremony as the Caucus enters a new, more progressive phase at this pivotal time….
I stand here this evening humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust our members have bestowed, and mindful of the legacy of our founders.
I thank the outgoing officers for their service and am grateful for their cooperation through this transition.
Fourteen Caucus members have now taken this oath for president and as I am the only one to do so for a third time, I do not take it lightly. The oath has been spoken during tides of success and progressiveness and also during ripples of apathy. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds. At these moments, the Caucus has carried on, not simply because of the skill or vision of those in office, but because the members have remained faithful to the ideals of our mission, and true to our founders’ vision.
It has been this way throughout the forty plus year history of the organization and it will continue to be during and beyond our tenure.
As with many political organizations, ours is in the midst of a re-boot. Our country, our state and our county is in flux… fueling involvement and activism’s rise…
There are networks of far-reaching media efforts to incite division and hatred.
Our wonderful immediate past president Obama is constantly misrepresented, a consequence of racism against him and irresponsibility on the part of many.
The balance of our Supreme Court was snuffed out last year by negligent Senate leaders
Health care is too costly, yet the Affordable Care Act is in jeopardy as are our community clinics and Planned Parenthood.
Our schools fail too many
A history of abuse and the inhumane treatment of people of color, especially our men, while in police custody is in the spotlight
Each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy swells the pockets of the wealthy while threatening our planet and our very existence.
On March 27th, a week before Equal Pay Day (Tues., April 4, 2017), with the swoop of Trump’s pen, one of his executive orders revoked years of workplace protections for women and minorities He revoked President Obama’s 2014 Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces executive order which required companies with federal contracts to heed 14 different labor and civil rights laws, including ones aimed at protecting parental leave, weeding out discrimination against women and minorities, and ensuring equal pay for women and fair processes surrounding workplace sexual harassment allegations
Both our state and county legislatures hold political turncoats who impede progress and disregard the very constituency who elected them.
NYS has the highest out-migration rate and we live in the county with the highest tax rate in the nation
Infrastructure is constantly referred to as being in need of much improvement, yet people of color do not land jobs on major projects
The NYS legislature cannot agree on a free college tuition bill and have yet to approve public school funding
Our state elected officials are debating on whether to not charge a 16-year old child as an adult
Funding for an ice-skating rink can take priority over funding for non-profit organizations that provide much needed services
The right of women to control their own bodies is somehow always up for discussion!
These are indicators of a crisis for our people.
The challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, the Caucus’ mission will be fulfilled many times over.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over indifference, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. Tonight we reaffirm our enduring spirit; to honor our history; to carry forward and lend our precious gifts in pursuing our noble ideas of securing elected positions for women of color, advocating for socio-economic issues and solutions and of affecting meaningful change.
In reaffirming our greatness as an organization, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated, but more often women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards progress.
They walked their communities carrying petitions, they manned phone banks, they held late night strategy sessions, they mentored and they trained and they spoke out when others could not find their voice. Time and again these women struggled and sacrificed and worked in the name of progress and access.
They saw their roles as larger than the sum of our individual ambitions; they saw our seat at the table as greater than all our differences and they saw leadership as essential to a better life in our communities. This is the journey we reaffirm today.
Everywhere we look, there is work to be done and there are some who will question the scale of our ambitions – but we will remind them what women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
It’s wonderful to see representation of some of our like-minded non-profit & advocacy organizations in the room because we plan to network, to collaborate and build upon our relationships.
In the words of President Obama, “What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.” He also stated, “that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause and the force of our example.”
We the women of the Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus, Inc. are the keepers of this legacy and guided by these principles we will meet our mission with greater effort and even greater cooperation and understanding. This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that we are rooted in a strong and unyielding destiny. A path set forth by those named… Alice Scott, Joan Mosley, Benilda Armstead-Jones, Delores Braithwaite, Lois Bronz, Willa Good, Ethel Harmon, Ruth Hassell-Thompson, Joan Horton, Gwendolyn Lynch, May Morgan Robinson, Valerie Sommersille and Sioux Taylor and many, many other like-minded women who shared this vision of empowerment of Black women politically and economically.
As we forge ahead let us brave those rough tides of progression and just skip over momentary ripples of apathy…. We will endure what storms may come. Let it be said by future Caucus members that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried on with determination and we delivered.
In the words of one of our founders, the late Alice C. Scott, “If we change our way of thinking, work together, show that we mean business, things will change politically. But the onus is on us.”
40 Years of Fighting for Political and Economic Equity
Forty years ago, the Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus, Inc., the brainchild of Alice Scott, Joan Mosley and other pioneering Black women within Westchester County, New York, collaborated with like-minded women, who shared a vision for improving socioeconomic conditions within their communities of color. Most notably, Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, May Morgan Robinson, others, agreed fair, equal access to jobs; housing, daycare, capital, were achievable goals by using the power of our collective VOTE and the Ballot Box to force change.
The Civil Rights Movement and passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1964 had a profound impact on Black communities, nationwide. Here, Black women organized and joined forces to create a new political movement: thus, creating the Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus, Inc.
Today, within our five chapters, members still hold true to the mission and have fulfilled the promise envisioned by Caucus Founders. Many have held powerful elected and appointed positions within state and local government, and through their efforts, became African American Women “Firsts.”
State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins – “First” woman, African American Senate Democratic Leader, and “First” woman as Legislative Leader in New York State history. She is also on cusp of making history again by becoming Senate Majority Leader, pending results of November 2016 Election.
Honorable Ruth Hassell-Thompson – A Founding member, former State Senator, City Council President and current advisor to Governor, who organized Black women and community activists to create a new, strategic political alliance more representative of communities of color.
Honorable Pearl Quarles – “First”, African American woman elected by Legislators to serve on the Westchester County Board of Legislators. Honorable Lois Bronz – “First”, African American woman elected to the Westchester County Board of Legislators, and “First” to serve as Chair of the Board of Legislators.
Sandra Blackwell – A former Caucus President, current Owner/Publisher of Westchester County Press.
Overall, Caucus members have served as Senators, State Minority Leader, New York State Legislative Law Clerk, County Legislators, Judges, Elected Municipal Officials, School Board Trustees, District Leaders, City Marshall and prominent government officials, including County Deputy Commissioner. Members also launched non-profits, own corporations, and serve on non-profit and community Boards.
The Caucus will continue to build a strong political base, encourage citizens to vote, and help elect competent, effective representatives to ensure the vitality of our community.
Ms. Ronnie A. Cox
President, Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus, Inc.
rcpioneer2@aol.com, 914-522-3129
Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus 35th Annual Leadership Breakfast
Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus 35th Annual Leadership Breakfast
Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus is pleased to announce the 35th Annual Leadership Breakfast is Sunday, February 14, 2016, at 7:30 a.m. at the Hilton Albany Hotel, Hilton Albany, 40 Lodge Street, Albany, NY 12207. The Co-Chairs are Cynthia Miller, cmiller282@gmail.com, of Yonkers and Charlene Blackwood, cblackwood430@gmail.com, New Rochelle. The speakers include Wendy Lewis, Major League Baseball, who will advise on MWDBE contracts within the league of 30 teams, Wanda Williams, DC 37, on labor and unions. Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson and Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins will cover founding of Caucus and strategy for growth, respectively. Former member, Judge Delores Scott Brathwaite will address challenges to voting and the Voting Rights Act. The Breakfast is $50 and the bus $15, and both can be paid through your chapter, mail or by credit card online at www.wbwpc/contributions/tickets. The bus will leave early Sunday morning from New Rochelle at 2:30 a.m. and Greenburgh at 3:00 a.m., departing Albany around 12:15 p.m. after church service. Call Mary Smith of Greenburgh, (914) 632-3827, to reserve a seat on bus.
Please share the attached Breakfast announcement with your friends and contacts.
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Join our Mount Vernon Chapter on Saturday, September 28, 2019 from 8 AM to 8 PM for a day of fun, shopping and dinner at Wind Creek Casino & Hotel in Bethlehem, PA. The bus leaves at 8 AM from 14 North Columbus Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY. Another great time is guaranteed and you will support our Mount Vernon Chapter in their political and socio-economic endeavors. Call 914-606-0366 for more information.
Join our Yonkers Chapter on Sunday, August 25, 2019 from 2 PM to 6 PM for their annual Summer Soiree fundraiser at 40 North Caribbean Kitchen & Bar, 100 River Street, 2nd Floor, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. A great time is guaranteed and you will support our Yonkers Chapter in their political and socio-economic endeavors. We look forward to seeing you!
Join our Mount Vernon Chapter on Sunday, July 21, 2019 from 4 PM to 7 PM for their annual fish fry fundraiser. A great time is guaranteed and you will support our Mount Vernon Chapter in their political and socio-economic endeavors. We look forward to seeing you!
