Washington, DC - Melanie L. Campbell, president and CEO of The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (The National Coalition) and convener of Black Women's Roundtable issued the following statement in response to a U. S. Census Bureau report released yesterday finding that about two in three eligible blacks (66.2 percent) voted in the 2012 presidential election, higher than the 64.1 percent of non-Hispanic whites who did so. This marks the first time that blacks have voted at a higher rate than whites since the Census Bureau started publishing statistics on voting.

Campbell said, "Let me first say it's a great day in America for Black People - especially Black women. It is extremely gratifying to see Census data that reinforces what we already knew: despite rigorous systematic efforts to suppress our vote, Blacks voted at higher rates than whites in 2012. Black women outdistanced every demographic in America and made a difference in the outcome of the election.

"Given the enormous challenges facing our community, The National Coalition's Board of directors, members and affiliates are proud to have played an integral role in a historic turnout. Working in partnership with A. Philip Randolph Institute and other coalition members, our Black Women's Roundtable unified women in our communities to help us organize, educate, mobilize and protect the Black vote in 2012. Black women delivered in a powerful way.

"Fifty years after the historic March on Washington - when the Black vote was suppressed across the country - there is no better tribute to the leadership of A. Philip Randolph, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Dorothy I. Height and other civil rights leaders.

"So, today we celebrate the power of the sister vote as we continue to organize and mobilize to push our elected officials to act in our best interest."

On behalf of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, we are pleased to support President Obama's nomination of The Honorable Anthony R. Foxx, Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, to serve as secretary of the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

Mayor Foxx's exceptional public service background leading the City of Charlotte prepares him to lead the DOT with distinction. His leadership in the successful expansion of The Charlotte/Douglas International Airport and bringing modern electric tram service to the city of Charlotte improved the city's transit infrastructure to compete in a global economy. Mayor Foxx clearly understands how to use public service projects that revitalize our nation's crumbling infrastructure to increase opportunities for businesses and workers.

We encourage the U. S. Senate to swiftly hold confirmation hearings for Mayor Foxx so he can begin his new role leading the Department of Transportation on behalf of the American people.

Founded in 1976, The National Coalition serves as an effective convener and facilitator at the local, state and national levels to address the disenfranchisement of marginalized communities through civic engagement, women and girls empowerment, youth civic leadership development and public policy. For more information on The National Coalition visit www.ncbcp.org

April is National Minority Health Month. With the health and quality of life challenges facing the minority community, this is a great opportunity to reflect on the technological and medical advances that are transforming healthcare, offering the promise of more affordable and accessible medical options and the advantages of patient-centered care.

As Dr. Bath’s work shows, medical research never stops. Every great invention begs the question, “How can this be done better?” So, imagine Dr. Bath’s laser cataract machine linked with a high-speed broadband Internet connection and controlled by an expert physician in a teaching hospital 400 miles away.

This is an example of telemedicine — high quality medical diagnosis, care and treatment provided over high speed advanced broadband networks. These high-speed broadband networks are driving innovative healthcare advances and making quality medical care more accessible and affordable to patients.

This month, The Washington Post highlighted the promise of this telemedicine trend, noting, “Although telemedicine has been practiced for decades, a burst of innovation in recent years has greatly improved its quality.”

For many minority communities, which have long suffered from a lack of affordable and accessible healthcare, this promise is breathtaking: Stethoscopes with microphones can allow a physician hundreds of miles away to carefully listen to your child’s lungs and heart and provide a medical assessment. Cardiologists on videoconference can watch echocardiograms and MRIs and make instant diagnoses, even as they speak with patients and keep them updated during the evaluation.

Read the full article at Politic365.com

Desmond Meade, Chair, Black Men’s Roundtable, Florida Coalition on Black Civic Participation, greets President Obama during his recent visit to South Florida.

An affiliate of the National Coalition, the Florida Coalition on Black Civic Participation is led by Salandra and conducts GOTV and voter empowerment efforts throughout the state of Florida.

The women met with Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), and others as part of the second annual Black Women’s Roundtable (BWR) Women of Power Summit. The meetings with leaders were followed by a congressional briefing featuring Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) Moore FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, and others.

“It’s good to see a filled room,” Rep. Clarke said. “We must make sure that our faces are a part of the debate and dialogue. We are known for doing what we have to do to keep it moving. Women owned businesses are creating jobs. They train and employ those who have been shunned by society.”

Rep. Moore applauded President Obama’s signing of an expanded Violence Against Women Act. “Violence against women is a pandemic disease. As Vice President Joe Biden would say, this is a big deal.”

Melanie L. Campbell, convener of Black Women’s Roundtable, addressed the purpose of visits. “As my mentor, Dr. Dorothy I. Height often said, Black women get the job done. We see the problems tearing at the fabric of our community every day so we knew that we needed to kick off our conference up here on Capitol Hill to let our legislators know that we have an agenda and we intend to make sure our voices are heard.”

President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), Campbell continued, “I’m looking in the audience at women of power who turned out thousands of people to the polls. Salandra Benton in Florida, Helen Butler in Georgia, Faye Anderson in Pennsylvania, Tracy Sturdivant in Michigan. In 2012 Black women were the highest vote for President Obama and the margin of victory for many right here in the U. S. Congress. We are here to make sure our elected officials know what we want.”Many of the participants in the BWR Summit played significant roles in registering and mobilizing more than a million voters in national and local elections since the Unity Voter Empowerment Campaign started over a decade ago.

“Our folks in Alabama can’t afford to make a mud pie,” said Shelia Tyson, convener of Alabama Black Women’s Roundtable. “We came here on a song and a prayer to let these lawmakers know that our people are hurting. They’re loosing jobs and homes. We’ve got hospitals closing. We can’t keep watching dissention and lengthy filibusters in DC. Black families need help now or we need to elect new leaders.”

While the women were visiting lawmakers, the group had a separate youth track touring the Capitol. Carlottia Scott, chief operating officer of NCBCP and former Capitol Hill staffer said, “BWR is focused on mentoring. It is important that we make sure our young people understand our history, the opportunities in leadership, and how to have an impact on public policy.”

After the Capitol Hill briefing BWR delegates and the youth delegation rushed off to the White House where they received a public policy briefing from Tina Tchen, assistant to President Obama and chief of staff for First Lady Michelle Obama; Latifa Lyles, acting director of the Women's Bureau of the Department of Labor; and Marie C. Johns, deputy administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration.

Held at the National Education Association National Headquarters, day two of the summit, Civic Engagement and Global Empowerment Day, allowed the women to come together to map out a strategy based on feedback from meeting with Congress and the Administration.

The day started with a faith and social justice prayer breakfast headlined by Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, U.S. Ambassador-At-Large for International Religious Freedom, U. S. State Department. Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee (D-TX) stopped in to bring greetings and Susan L. Taylor, founder and CEO, National CARES Mentoring Movement, was the keynote speaker for the luncheon.

Dr. Gail Christopher, W. K. Kellogg Foundation; Elizabeth Powell, American Postal Workers Union; Dr. Lorretta Johnson, American Federation of Teachers; Becky Pringle, National Education Association; Judith Browne-Dianis, Advancement Project; Diane Babineaux, International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers; Dr. Judith Moore, Sisters Saving Ourselves Now; Rev. Marcia Dyson, Women’s Global Initiative, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, economist; Felicia Davis, UNCF Building Green Initiative; Lori George Billingsley, Coca-Cola Refreshments; and Clayola Brown, A. Philip Randolph Institute; were among the distinguished speakers and awardees (Click here for a full list).

The final day of the summit was Community Day held at Shiloh Baptist Church that hosted a health fair and mini-expo for women and girls The BWR Summit was made possible by Verizon Foundation, National Education Association, United Healthcare Plans, American Postal Workers Union, National Urban League, The Praxis Project and other sponsors.

BWR is an intergenerational network of NCBCP, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to increasing civic engagement in Black and underserved communities. BWR brings together diverse women to motivate women to engage in all levels of civil society. For more information visit www.ncbcp.org.

Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee stops for a photo with the youth attending BWR Women of Power Summit.

For a full agenda with a list of participants click here

(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The President met with African American leaders yesterday in the Roosevelt Room at the White House to continue their dialogue on his plan to strengthen the economy for the middle class and continue to build ladders of opportunity for those striving to get there. The President reiterated his commitment to supporting policies that will directly impact those hardest hit by the economic crisis by making sure that America is a magnet for jobs, increasing access to job training programs, partnering with high-poverty communities to help them rebuild, and encouraging companies to invest in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The president also reiterated his call to reform education by expanding universal pre-K for every child as a way to significantly decrease the achievement gap.

The president and the leaders expressed a shared concern about the need to implement common-sense improvements to the voting process because our democracy works best when every American eligible to vote has the opportunity to cast their ballot and make their voices heard.

The President called on the leaders to continue the national dialogue on the need for a balanced approach to deficit reduction. He stressed the harm that the automatic cuts known as the sequester will have on thousands of jobs while cutting services to children, seniors, mental wellness programs, small businesses, and those in our military.

The President praised the participants for their steadfast leadership on a broad range of issues critical to improving the economy and strengthening our country. The leaders in attendance also highlighted their goals to continue to build momentum for Congress to act in the best interests of the American people by supporting policies that help move our country forward.

Participants include:

“Verizon is challenging the best minds in the technology industry and beyond to put forth their ideas that deliver powerful answers in the areas of education, health care and sustainability. These global issues can be transformed with wireless, wireline or cloud-based technology. Verizon has the unique combination of networks, technology and people to lead, and more importantly, sustain innovation across the ecosystem, and to help deliver these powerful solutions for each and every consumer and business.”

To view the complete press release, please visit Verizon Wireless (http://news.verizonwireless.com/news/2013/01/verizon-powerful-answers-award.html).

In celebration of National Women's History Month, the NCBCP will host the 2nd Annual Black Women's Roundtable (BWR) National Women of Power Summit, “Amplifying the Voices of Women and Girls in the Digital Age! on March 14 - 16, 2013, in Washington, DC.

Click here to DOWNLOAD UPDATED AGENDA

The BWR Summit brings together a delegation of women and girls from across the country to participate in a summit focused on developing solutions to live healthier, wealthier & wiser lives through public policy, civic engagement, social innovation, entrepreneurship and mentoring. Click here to Register Now

Click here to view highlights from 2012 BWR Summit.

BWR SUMMIT AGENDA*

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Public Policy Day
09:00 am - 12 Noon BWR Day on Capitol Hill - Visits to Congressional Offices & Youth Tour for Girls 
[Please check in at Cannon Building Room 402, Independence Avenue and 1st Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003]** 

12:30 pm - 3:00 pm BWR Day on Capitol Hill - Legislative Briefing w/Congressional Members & FCC Commission Representative at Rayburn Building B339, Independence Avenue and South Capitol Street, Washington, DC 20003** 

04:00 pm - 5:30 pm White House (WH) Public Policy Briefing With Obama Administration Officials** 

05:30 pm – Until Dinner on Your Own – Free Time to Enjoy the City! 

[***must register for summit and security clearance required to attend WH Briefing]

Friday, March 15, 2013

Civic Engagement & Global Empowerment Day
Hosted by National Education Association

07:00 am - 7:30 am Love You More Health & Wellness Power Walk
07:30 am - 05:00 pm Site Registration
08:00 am - 11:45 am Faith & Social Justice Breakfast & Morning Roundtables
11:45 am - 02:45 pm Women & Girls, Business & Global Empowerment Luncheon & Roundtables
03:00 pm - 06:00 pm Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Workshops & Skills Building Sessions
Skills Building, Enrichment Sessions, Tech Camp for Girls
06:00 pm – Until Free Time – Enjoy the City

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Community Day
Hosted by Shiloh Baptist Church
1500 Ninth Street, NW, Washington, DC

11:00 am – 11:30 am Love You More Health & Wellness Power Walk
11:00 am – 12:00 pm Site Registration
12:00pm -05:00 pm Health Fair, Mini-Expo, Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Workshops
& Enrichment Sessions for Women, Teens & Girls
Free Health Screenings & Financial Planning
Love You More Group Exercises (Zumba, Line Dances, etc.)

*BWR Summit agenda subject to change.

Registration - $40 women $20 teens & girls (12 – 17 yrs. old)

*BWR Summit agenda subject to change.

Click here to Register Now

The reintroduction of the Urban Jobs Act, and American Jobs Act, comprehensive Senate hearings on voter suppression efforts, gun safety and juvenile justice reform are among the preliminary federal policy recommendations to emerge from today's reconvening of America's leading civil rights, social justice, business and community leaders in Washington, D.C.

"When we gathered here a little over a month ago, we urged our nation's leaders to commit to economic and educational parity for communities of color," said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League and one of the organizers of the gathering along with National Action Network President Rev. Al Sharpton, NAACP President and CEO Ben Jealous, and National Coalition on Black Civic Participation President and CEO Melanie Campbell. "Today, we present our recommendations on how best to achieve those goals. "

Sharpton added, "We cannot attain parity while the unemployment crisis goes unaddressed, while two-fifths of incarcerated youth are African-American, and while elected officials at the state level are more interested in excluding people of color from the democratic process than in addressing their concerns."

The leaders called for the reintroduction and passage of the Urban Jobs Act, which would allocate resources for job training, education, and support services and activities for eligible young adults to prepare them for entry into the workforce, and which would establish a National Jobs Council Advisory Committee.

"The Urban Jobs Act targets young people who did not finish high school, or who have been involved in the criminal justice system - two populations that are disproportionately African-American, and who have borne the harshest consequences of the unemployment crisis," Morial said.

The leaders encouraged President Obama to address the jobs crisis in urban communities during his upcoming State of the Union address and to reintroduce legislation which they had supported when it was introduced in 2011, the American Jobs Act -a combination of tax cuts, investments and incentives to put Americans back to work and speed the growth of the economy. Though the bill had broad bipartisan support, it was filibustered in the Senate and never was put to a fair up-or-down vote.

The leaders said President Obama's commitment to finally address the nation's plague of senseless gun violence is encouraging, but urged him and Congress to go even further with the strong and commonsense gun reforms needed for real and meaningful change. While they support a ban on all assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, closure of the gun show loophole and, universal background checks, they also recommended a focus on violence prevention, including investments in programs that create safe spaces for kids during out of school time and improved mental illnesss services and treatment.

The leaders called for a mobilization around the upcoming February 27th Supreme Court case, Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder, challenging the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires states and counties with a history of discriminatory voting practices to undergo Justice Department review of any change to their voting rules.

The leaders noted that this critical provision enforces the promise of the 15th Amendment; and urged people of color, in particular, to educate themselves on this issue, to remain engaged in the continuing struggle to fully protect the fundamental right to vote.

The leaders also endorsed Congressman Chaka Fattah's (D-PA) call for comprehensive Senate hearings into widespread voter suppression efforts, including field hearings to hear from citizens whose rights were trampled leading up to the 2012 election.

"It's ironic that the most serious challenge to voting rights in a generation has coincided with an unprecedented campaign to slash investments in education and economic development; not to mention the commemoration of two of the most pivotal events in our history-the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the Great March on Washington," Campbell said. "The right to vote will be pivotal to realizing our shared goals, which include education, job training and economic growth."

Further, the leaders pointed out that a major barrier to economic parity and full participation in the democratic process, especially for young men of color, is the nation's dysfunctional and discriminatory criminal justice system.

"Study after study has shown that students of color face harsher punishments in school than their white peers, African-American students are arrested far more often than their white classmates, and African-American youth have higher rates of juvenile incarceration and are more likely to be sentenced to adult prison," Jealous said. "One in 13 African Americans of voting age is disenfranchised because of a prior criminal conviction. That's a staggering statistic that reveals the desperate need for reform."

Today's meeting was the second step in a process that began Dec. 3, when more than 60 leaders issued a communiqué outlining five urgent priorities for the nation:

* Achieve Economic Parity for African-Americans

* Promote Equity in Educational Opportunity

* Protect and Defend Voting Rights

* Promote a Healthier Nation by Eliminating Healthcare Disparities

* Achieve Comprehensive Reform of the Criminal Justice System

On behalf of the Black Women’s Roundtable, we write to express that we are extremely disappointed that UN Ambassador Susan Rice removed her name from consideration to be nominated for secretary of State. However, we understand her commitment to the country and the need to deal with important issues without distractions from obstructionists determined to attack the Ambassador in a vicious vindictive manner.

We are proud of UN Ambassador Susan Rice for her grace and unwavering resolve. We believe the country and the global community lost one of the best candidates for Secretary of State and that those obstructionists in Congress who attacked Ambassador Rice did our country a disservice. They should be ashamed of their actions and we hope this type of unprofessional behavior does not happen in the future.

Ambassador Rice is a patriot and our support and respect for her as a diplomat, a role model and public servant has only been heightened. We will continue to stand by Ambassador Rice in her service to the nation now and in the future.

The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation's (NCBCP) Black Women's Roundtable issued the following comments in support of Michigan workers and families currently under attack by politicians determined to revoke workers' right to organize and bargain collectively:

"The Black Women's Roundtable stands in solidarity with our Michigan Black Women's Roundtable leaders, working families, labor, faith and all communities of conscience, in their fight for the rights of workers to organize as an American value in the state of Michigan and across the country, said Melanie L. Campbell, convener, Black Women's Roundtable and president and CEO of NCBCP adds, "Strong unions result in better jobs, a stronger economy, and a healthier community. The assault on Michigan's working families will drive wages down and increase the income gap, especially for women, young workers and people of color."

Danielle Atkinson, convener of Detroit Black Women's Roundtable and executive director, Mothering Justice adds, "This issue is about having a voice in the workplace so we can take care of our families at home. We stand united in the effort to stop these divisive attacks on hardworking American's who are not asking for handouts, we are merely trying to make a livable wage that enables us to provide a decent living for our family."

"We will continue to stand united with Michigan working families and the coalition of labor, faith, and progressive groups fighting against the assault on the American middle class," adds Stephanie Bell, convener, Kalamazoo MI Black Women's Roundtable. "This type of legislation in Michigan of all places - the birthplace of the American labor movement - will have far-reaching ramifications across the country. We urge the American public to show your support by calling Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and urge him to veto the "Right-to-Work" law."

The NCBCP Black Women's Roundtable comprises an intergenerational membership of Black women civic leaders of international, national, regional and state-based organizations and institutions that works collectively to advance policies and strategic initiatives that help to improve the lives of underserved women and girls.

Follow @WeAreMichigan on Twitter for live updatesTweet using the hashtag #savemi

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/12/11/5047618/ncbcp-black-womens-roundtable.html#storylink=cpy

To be sure, Congress should investigate what happened in Benghazi. After all, four Americans were killed, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens who reportedly had expressed concern about the “security vacuum” around the consulate.

But a cursory review of the State Department’s organizational chart shows that embassy and consulate security is not included in Rice’s portfolio.

Why haven’t Republicans hauled Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or Under Secretary for Management Patrick F. Kennedy before Congress? If Sen. Lindsey Graham wants answers, why not ask the person directly responsible for “ensuring that the United States can conduct diplomacy safely and securely around the world,” Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Eric J. Boswell.

Rice is presumed to be President Obama’s first choice to succeed Clinton. During her meetings with Graham, Sen. John McCain, and other Republican senators, she acknowledged that the statements she made five days after Benghazi were incorrect. But that wasn’t good enough... click here to read the full story at BlogHer.com.

They are hoops structured, designed, and maintained by the persistence of white male privilege in America. They serve as reminders that though a new and rising diverse electoral coalition is undoubtedly in play, the overall paradigm of power and privilege in this nation remains firmly within the grasp of white men.

Let’s remind ourselves of how this whole thing began.

Days after a crushing victory gave rise to a second term for the Obama administration, the president’s first electoral foe stepped before the bright media spotlight with what appeared to be a chip on his shoulder. In classic McCain brooding and overbearing style, the senator proceeded with an attempt to undo the president’s anticipated pick for the nation’s next top diplomat even before the newly re-elected president had the opportunity to put a name firmly in play. It was in this moment that Senator McCain went on the attack.

In an appearance on Fox and Friends, McCain leveled serious and downright insulting charges against Ambassador Rice, stating boldly that she was possibly “unqualified,” suggesting that perhaps she didn’t “understand” the evidence surrounding the Benghazi incident, and then accusing her of outright lying to the American people by making statements which he believed were “patently false and defied common sense.”

And then the kicker: “I will do everything in my power to block her from being the United States Secretary of State.”

Now, let’s deconstruct this a bit.

John McCain questioned the “qualifications” and “ability to understand” of someone who is both a Truman Scholar and a Rhodes Scholar. Someone who holds not one, but two graduate degrees, including a Ph.D. from Oxford University, and someone who, by the way, earned that Ph.D. after winning an award for penning the best doctoral dissertation in the United Kingdom in the field of International Relations. Read the full story at TheGrio.com

Dear Chairman Feinstein and Ranking Member Chambliss:

On behalf of the Black Women’s Roundtable, in partnership with the legion of strong women leaders and organizations across this nation, we write to express our unequivocal support and respect for United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice as a leader and representative of the United States in foreign policy.

Ambassador Rice has been and continues to be a role model to all women. She has excelled throughout her career both in the public and private sector. Her commitment to international peace and the equality of all people should be heralded, not summarily dismissed for political gain and expedience. Hence, we urge all U. S. Senators to afford Ambassador Rice the proper respect appropriate for any other Cabinet-level member of a sitting Administration.

The Black Women’s Roundtable comprises an intergenerational membership of Black women civic leaders of international, national, regional and state-based organizations and institutions that works collectively to advance policies and strategic initiatives that help to improve the lives of underserved women and girls. Our members work in a wide range of social justice, civic, corporate, labor and women’s organizations and we support the ability of our sisters in the public and private sector to excel in their areas of expertise.

It is within this context that we must highlight the accomplishments of Ambassador Rice, who represents a rich and important legacy of strong women leaders in foreign policy, such as former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice, and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Ambassador Rice’s credentials are above reproach, having previously served as Special Assistant to President Bill Clinton and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council at the White House.

It is a testament to Ambassador Rice’s work ethic and dedication to her craft that she became one of the youngest assistant secretaries of state in history during the Clinton Administration and ultimately became a co-recipient of the White House’s 2000 Samuel Nelson Drew Memorial Award for distinguished contributions to the formation of peaceful, cooperative relationships between states.

We feel it necessary to remind the Senate of Ambassador Rice’s impeccable credentials because of the failure of some to respect her role as the United States Ambassador and leader in foreign policy. While some members of the Senate have pushed back on their rush to judgment in the press regarding Ambassador Rice’s prepared remarks on the attack in Benghazi, we feel that the public integrity and reputation of this brilliant woman, who serves our country with great dignity, has been unfairly and unnecessarily attacked.

Ambassador Rice’s leadership in President Obama’s Cabinet is commendable. It is for this reason that we, the undersigned, have come together representing women leaders from across this country to express our ardent support for Ambassador Rice in her role as ambassador to the United Nations and any other public service leadership roles she may be afforded in the future.

We look forward to following-up with you on our support of Ambassador Rice.

Sincerely,

Melanie L. Campbell, President & CEO and Convener, Black Women’s Roundtable, NCBCP

Rev. Marcia Dyson, Partner, M & M Dyson, LLC

Ingrid Saunders Jones, Chair, National Council of Negro Women

Susan L. Taylor, CEO and Founder, National CARES Mentoring Movement Editor-in-Chief Emerita, Essence Magazine

Susan Scanlan Chair,, National Council of Women's Organizations & President, Women's Research & Education Institute

Faye M. Anderson, Founder, Tracking Change

Angela M. Angel,, Esq. Member, Black Women's Roundtable

Barbara R. Arnwine,, Esq. Convener, Black Women for Justice

Diane Babineaux, Chief of Staff to the Int’l President, International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Works

Arlene Holt Baker, Executive Vice President, AFL-CIO

Monifa Bandele, Campaign Director, MomsRising.org

Cora Masters Barry, Former First Lady Washington DC CEO/Founder, RWLC

Lisa Fager Bediako, President & CEO, Industry Ears

Dr. Lezli Baskerville, President & CEO, NAFEO

Dr. Michelle Battle, Executive Director, MIRA-National Youth Initiative

Salandra Benton, Convener, Florida Coalition on Black Civic Participation

Jillian Blackwell, Founder, My Girlfriends Business

Heather Booth, Democracy Partner

Donna Brazile Vice Chair Voter Registration and Participation, DNC

Roslyn Brock Chairman, NAACP

Clayola Brown President & CEO, A. Philip Randolph Institute

Jessica Brown, National Black Youth Vote! Coordinator, NCBCP

Latosha Brown, Principal, TruthSpeaks Consulting

Helen Butler, Executive Director, Coalition for the People’s Agenda

Cynthia M. A. Butler McIntyre, National President, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Yvonne V. Cook, Assistant to the Provost And Vice President for Academic Affairs, Coppin State University

ShaRhonda Dawson Director, Chicago Coalition on Black Civic Participation

Edrea Davis Producer, DogonVillage.com

Felicia Davis Director, UNCF SP Building Green*

LaKimba B. DeSadier Executive Director, National Black Caucus of State Legislators

Vivica A. Fox President, Foxy Brown Productions

Sandra Fowler, President & CEO, Brewton Enterprises

Dr. Natalia A. Francisco, Founder/Executive Director, Women of Worth & Worship, LLC

Andrea Gleaves Chair, WIN (Women's Information Network)

Patricia Green, Founder & Chief Strategist, IC Linkages, Inc.

Dr. Cynthia Hale, Senior Pastor, Ray of Hope Christian Church Decatur, GA

Chanelle Hardy, Senior Vice President for Policy, National Urban League

Nancy Harvin, Member, Black Women’s Roundtable

Bonita M. Herring, International Grand Basileus, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority

Dr. Patricia Hobson Chair,, Local Host Summit Committee, The Black Women's Roundtable

Tanya Clay House Chair, Civil Rights Law National Bar Association

Eleanor Hinton Hoytt President & CEO, Black Women’s Health Imperative

Janaye Ingram, DC Bureau Chief, National Action Network

Dorothy R. Jackson, Esq., Board Member, NCBCP

Letetia Daniels Jackson, President/CEO, Tandeka LLC

Dr. Sabrina Jackson, CEO, Sabrina Jackson Enterprises, Michigan

Dr. Lorretta Johnson, Secretary-Treasurer, American Federation of Teachers

Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever, Executive Director, National Council of Negro Women

Stephanie Jones, President, Stephanie Jones Strategies

Carol Joyner, National Political Director, Labor Project for Working Families

Nancy K. Kaufman, CEO, National Council of Jewish Women

Julian B. Kiganda, President, African Diaspora for Change

Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO, The King Center

Nicole Lee, President, TransAfrica Forum*

Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks, Executive Director/CEO, National Black Justice Coalition

Dr. Evelyn Gibson Lowery, President, SCLC/W.O.M.E.N. Inc.

Leslie Watson Malachi, Director, African American Ministers in Action

Tamika Mallory, National Executive Director, National Action Network

Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Founder, Last Word Productions, Inc.

Barbara Miller, Professor of Anthropology & International Affairs and Director, Institute for Global & International Studies, The Elliott School of International AffairsGeorge Washington University

Dr. Judith C. Moore, Executive Director, Sisters Saving Ourselves NOW Pastor, First AME Church-Clairton, PA

Minyon Moore, Former Assistant to the President Bill Clinton and Director , Public Liaison

Karen Mulhauser, President, Mulhauser and Associates

Claire A. Nelson, Ph.D., Founder & President Institute of Caribbean Studies

Sophia A. Nelson, Esq., Author Black Woman, Redefined Journalist, Speaker

Sima Osdoby, Consulting Democracy, Governance and Civil Society

Terry O’Neill, President, National Organization for Women

Kimberly Otis, Senior Advisor, Center for Partnership Studies, Director, Caring Economy Campaign

Stephanie Parker-Weaver, Founding President and CEO, Rebirth Alliance and Co-Convener, MCBCP

Barbara A. Perkins, President, International Black Women’s Public Policy Institute

Amy Pritchard, Principle Mission Control and President, Democratic GAIN

Rene Redwood, CEO, Redwood Enterprise, LLC

Deidra Reese, State Coordinator, Ohio Unity Coalition

Jena Roscoe, SVP, Government Relations, Public Policy, Operation HOPE

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, CEO and Co-Founder,MomsRising.org

Deborah Robinson, Convener, MS Black Women’s Roundtable, Co-Convener, MSCBP

Delisa Saunders,, Ph.D. Former Board Member, NCBCP

Rita Jackson Samuels,, Founder, Georgia Coalition of Black Women, Inc.

Carlottia Scott, Board Member, NCBCP

Deborah Scott, Executive Director, Georgia Stand Up!

Elsie L. Scott, Ph.D. Director, Ronald Walters Leadership & Public Policy Center,Howard University*

Kimberly Scott, President, Conklin Scott

Karen J. See, President, Coalition of Labor Union Women

Traci Siegel, Senior Vice President, GMMB

Dr. Yvonne Scruggs-Leftwich, President & CEO, Center for Community & Economic Justice

Makeda Smith, President, Jazzmyne PR

Carolyn House Stewart,, Esq. International President, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc

Pierrette Talley, Convener, Ohio Unity Coalition

Makani Themba, Executive Director, The Praxis Project

Sheila Tyson, Convener, Alabama Coalition on Black Civic Participation

Tonya Tyson, Member, Black Women’s Roundtable

A. Shuanise Washington, Founder and Principal Washington Solutions, LLC Management & Political Consulting Firm

Robin Williams, Associate Director, Civil Rights & Community Action UFCW

Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, President, Skinner Leadership Institute

Dr. E. Faye Williams National Chair, National Congress of Black Women

Thomasina Williams, Esq. Research Affiliate, MIT Community Innovators Lab

Vanessa Williams Executive Director, National Conference of Black Mayors

Linda Young, President, National Women’s Political Caucus

Sharon Zimmerman Interim Executive Director, Women’s Action for New Directions

[Partial Listing] *organization referenced for identification purposes only.

cc:
The Honorable Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader
The Honorable Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader
The Honorable John Boehner, Speaker, U. S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader, U. S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Emanuel Cleaver, Chairman, Congressional Black Caucus
The Honorable Marcia Fudge, Chair-Elect, Congressional Black Caucus
The Honorable Cynthia Lummis, Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues
The Honorable Gwen Moore, Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues

Actress, producer and businesswoman Vivica A. Fox is helping to urge people to get out and vote early or on Election Day. The Hollywood actress, known for her beauty and style, wanted to do her part to help motivate the community to vote. The recordings are being used as radio PSAs and ROBO calls to people the Unity '12 Voter Empowerment Campaign has been in contact with over the past year. To get a copy for your state email: production [at] dogonvillage.com.

Protect your Vote Philadelphia 45Vote Early Ohio 47

Protect your Vote Philadelphia 45

Vote Early Florida

A call for volunteers to work at the polls

Unity Protect Our Vote Sundays, will also launch in churches nationally October 28

Florida - Hoping to send a strong message that will resonate nationwide, a coalition of non-partisan organizations have joined forces to conduct a massive march comprised of over 200 congregations “Marching Souls to the Polls” on the first Sunday of early voting in Florida, October 28, 2012.

The Florida Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Unity 12 Voter Empowerment Campaign, National Congress of Black Women, ACLU, Rainbow/PUSH, A. Philip Randolph Institute, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, AFL-CIO, Black Women’s Roundtable, Black Youth Vote!, African American Council of Christian Clergy, and F.I.R.E., have come together to coordinate this massive initiative as the Black Civic Engagement Working Group of Fl.

WHAT: Souls To Polls – Marches from Church to the polls

WHEN: DATE: Sunday, October 28, 2012 TIME: Times vary based on service ending times – contact for times

WHERE: Over 200 Churches throughout Florida (for a list of churches see below.

HOW: To participate in a march or schedule an interview contact Edrea edmedia@dogonvillage.com/770.961.6200 to be connected with the coordinator for each county. If you email include your county and I will provide the county coordinator that can give you the name and address of the church nearest your location.

PARTICPATING CHURCHES “MARCHING THE SOULS TO THE POLLS” ​BREVARD COUNTYSt. John Church of God I Christ, Pentacostal House of Prayer, Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church, Awesome God Prayer Center, Central Brevard Church of God in Christ, Friendship Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Moriah AME Church, Parker Memorial Missionary Baptist Church, Zion Orthodox Primitive Baptist Church, Community Fellowship Church, New Hope Deliverance Temple, Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, Mt. Oline Missionary Baptist Church, Greater Blessed Assurance Apostolic Temple, St. James AME Church

BROWARD COUNTYNew Hope Baptist Church, Koinonia Worship Center, Mt. Bethel Baptist Church, Church of God of Prophecy, Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Hallandale Church of God, Star of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church

DUVAL COUNTY​GADSDEN COUNTYPalace AME Church, Friendship AME Church, Midway unity Fellowship

JACKSON COUNTYFriendship Baptist church, St. Luke Baptist Church, St. James AME Church, New Hope Baptist Church, Pope Chapel AME Church, Jerusalem AME Church, Poplar Springs Baptist Church, New Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Mt. Olive AMR Church, Holyneck Baptist ChurchMIAMI-DADE93rd Street Community Baptist Church, Greater Bethel AME Church, St. James AME Church, Church of the Open Door

LEE COUNTY

LEON COUNTYFirst Presbyterian Church of Tallahassee, New Birth Tabernacle of Praise, New Life United Methodist Church, Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, Mt. Pilgrim Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church, New Bethel Primitive Baptist Church, New Bethel Primitive Baptist Church, New Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church, New Hickory Hill Primitive Baptist Church, New Hope Primitive Baptist Church, New Hope Primitive Baptist Church, New Hope Primitive Baptist Church, New Jerusalem Primitive Baptist Church, New Zion Primitive Baptist Church, Philadelphia Primitive Baptist Church, Antioch Primitive Baptist Church, Brown Bethel Primitive Baptist Church, China Hill Primitive Baptist Church, First Community Primitive Baptist Church, Friendship Primitive Baptist Church, Little Salem Primitive Baptist Church, Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Carmel Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Calvary Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Horeb Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church, Mt. Olive II Primitive Baptist Church, Queen Chapel Primitive Baptist Church, St. Mary Primitive Baptist Church, St. Matthew Primitive Baptist Church, St. Matthew Primitive Baptist Church, St. Paul Primitive Baptist Church, St. Paul Primitive Baptist Church, St. Peter Primitive Baptist Church, St. James Primitive Baptist Church, St. Joseph Primitive Baptist Church, St. John Primitive Baptist Church, Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church, Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church, Calvary Baptist Church, New Destiny Church of Christ, Turning Point International Church, New Image Christian Church, Deeper Life International Ministries, Disciples Outreach International Ministries

ORANGE COUNTYMacedonia Baptist Church, Ebon Temple Church of God, Inc.,New Covenant Perfecting Ministries, Bethel Baptist Missionary Church, New Covenant Baptist Church, Expierence Christian Center, Agape Perfecting Praise & Worship Center, The Worship Center, Carter Tabernacle CME Church, Cornerstone Baptist Church, Greater St. Paul AME Church, House of God, Mt. Dora, Empowerment Ministries, St. Mark AME Church, Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, El Bethel Temple, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Rising Sun Ministries, Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, Mt. Olive AME Church, Mt. Olive CME Church, The Hope Church, Hurst Chapel AME Church, Reconciliation Christian Center

OSCEOLA COUNTYPrayerline Church of God, St. James Methodist Zion Church, New Hope Community Church, St. Paul Church of God In Faith, Ball Chapel AME Church, Bethel AME Church, Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, Harvest Time Ministry, St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church(Kissimmee), St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, Inc (St. Cloud),PALM BEACH COUNTY

The Unity: Protect Our Vote Sundays Initiative is a core component of the NCBCP Unity ’12 Campaign’s vote protection and assistance efforts. “ The Unity: Protect Our Vote Sundays goals are to mobilize Black faith leaders in a Call to Action to Black denominational and congregational leaders to take up arms to mobilize and protect their congregations from voter suppression tactics across the country by providing them with tools and information to protect their vote through Black Youth Vote, Black Women’’ said Melanie Campbell, President & CEO, NCBCP.

“The Black community is facing one of the greatest challenges ever against malicious schemes and laws deliberately aimed at stopping and discouraging our people from exercising their right to vote. Only a unified effort by the Black Church can protect the vote won through the blood, sweat and tears of our people over the years. Therefore, CNBC is proud to take the lead to engage our members who are the leadership of the nine historically Black denominations to participate in Unity: Protect Our Vote Sundays,” said Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Chair, CNBC.

CNBC national members include: the African Methodist Episcopal Church; African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; Church of God In Christ; Full Gospel Baptist Church, Church Fellowship International; National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., International; National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.; National Missionary Baptist Convention of America; and the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.

Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Co-Chair, National African American Network, shares, “We are arming pastors and lay leaders with a Unity: Protect Our Vote Sunday Tool Kit that includes: 1) a church bulletin template; 2) a Protect Our Vote Prayer which we are asking pastors to appeal to their members to pray every day beginning Sunday, October 28th through Election Day, November 6 to invoke the power and protection of God over their members and those in the community against hindrances to their right to vote, Further, we are providing ‘Seven Things You Need to Do to Protect Your Vote’, and Talking Points for Pastors.”

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL) and Election Protection (EP) are providing voter protection tools for Unity: Protect Our Vote Sunday, including its national nonpartisan Election Protection National Hotline, 1-866-OUR-VOTE and a Free Mobile App to download and use in case voters are blocked in their effort to vote or have questions (Text OURVOTE to 90975). “As we have done for over 10 years, the Election Protection Coalition will be there for all voters to safeguard their fundamental right to vote and have that vote counted on Election Day,” said Barbara Arnwine, President and Executive Director, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Finally, as part of the UNITY: Protect Our Vote Sundays Campaign, “we are asking denominational leaders, pastors, clergy, lay leaders and attorneys in their congregation to volunteer to serve as Poll Monitors in our massive effort to mobilize an ‘Army of Poll Monitors’ to be a moral presence at the polls against efforts to intimidate Black voters,” said Jacqui Burton, President, CNBC.

Washington, DC - Determined to keep the swagger going among their peers, Black Youth Vote! (BYV!), the youth program of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), is hustling hard as they transition their iThink 2012 Campaign efforts from voter registration to voter education and mobilization for the last days of the 2012 Presidential Election cycle.

BYV! national field coordinator, Jessica Brown, believes that the young adults won't be easily deterred during this election. "Regardless of what is often reflected in the music and the culture, we are concerned about issues that impact us and we pay attention."

Virginia BYV! coordinator, Tiara Davis adds, "Because of the voter suppression laws passed to reduce the number of people who can vote, we are getting the message out to vote early and if someone tries to block you from voting, Stand Your Ground and VOTE."

Active in 14 states and DC, BYV! is making tremendous waves at the grassroots level. The young leaders are dorm knocking, staging vote raids, working with the fraternities and sororities to get their members to the polls, and collecting voter pledge cards. Florida BYV! organizers Lucas Melton and Jamaal Rose even convinced their college president, Florida A&M University (FAMU) interim president Larry Robinson, to sign a BYV! pledge card and cancel classes for a few hours so FAMU students could participate in a march to the polls on the first day of early voting!

"We're out here on a daily basis getting young people fired up about this election," said Melton. "In addition to making sure they understand the voter ID requirements, we are reminding them that this election is beyond selecting a president, there are state and local races and referendums that will impact our daily lives."

Other tactics BYV is using to empower the hip hop nation are debate watch parties; town hall meetings; a digital hit squad getting the message out via social media; and the recruitment of radio DJ's to play the BYV! theme song, "Vote4Justice", by Andre "Champ" Hobson. Jeremy Triblett, Wisconsin BYV! , is one of several club DJ's around the country playing the theme song and urging people to vote while in the nightclubs.

"A major part of our voter registration campaign was to register and educate ex-offenders, so now we're contacting them to help them identify their poll location and offering rides to the polls to make sure they vote," adds Portia Tyson, Alabama BYV!.

With the alarming talk of voter suppression efforts and protesters looking to block African-Americans from voting, the organization is working with Common Cause and others to recruit volunteers, called Foot Soldiers for Democracy, to train to work as poll monitors and poll workers. Poll monitors will work outside the polls on Election Day reporting problems via text, mobile apps, and by calling the 1 - 866- OUR VOTE hotline to report problems to lawyers.

Black Youth Vote! iThink2012 partners include, Generational Alliance, BET VOTE 2012, Hip Hop Caucus, Black Men Vote, 100 Black Men of America, Inc. and the Cost of Freedom Project.

"Young people have always been the catalyst behind any movement. They are impacted by issues such as student loans, military enlistment and unemployment," cites Melanie L. Campbell, president and CEO of NCBCP and co-founder of BYV!. "That's why Black Youth Vote is such an integral component in our Unity 12 Voter Empowerment Campaign. BYV! also has a special voter empowerment focus on young black males because so many of them are hurt by the unjust voter suppression laws and those who were formerly incarcerated have problems getting their right to vote restored."

Black Youth Vote! (BYV!) is a national grassroots coalition of organizations and individuals committed to increasing political and civic engagement among black youth and young adults between the ages of 18-35. The iThink2012 Campaign is made possible with support from the Open Society Foundations, Workers Voices, Boule Foundation, The Ford Foundation, Youth Engagement Fund and Tides Foundation-BCEF. Co-convened by NCBCP and A. Philip Randolph Institute, the Unity '12 Campaign is a national non-partisan effort to turn out Black voters. For more information visit www.ncbcp.org or www.unityvoterempowermentcampaign.org.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Black Youth Vote! will host a post-election media briefing Wed. Nov. 14, 12- 3 PM at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. National coordinators of Black Youth Vote! are available for interview to discuss their campaign. Contact jazzmynepr@gmail.com or edmedia@dogonvillage.com.