EMILYs List Statement Celebrating Black History Month

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EMILYs List Statement Celebrating Black History Month

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In recognition of Black History Month, EMILYs List President Laphonza Butler released the following statement:

“As we acknowledge the contributions of Black Americans during the celebration of Black History Month, recent events have reminded us that the struggle for equality and the fight against systemic oppression still remain. That is why our work at EMILYs List is so very important, and our efforts to see a government that truly represents the people it serves cannot relent. We stand on the shoulders of Black women who have led movements for racial justice, voting rights, and representation – women who are known by history like  Shirley Chisholm, Constance Baker Motley, Fannie Lou Hamer and Corretta Scott King. And we honor those Black women whose names will never make the history books, because we know that their sacrifices paved the way for the Black women who shattered glass ceilings; women like  Vice President Kamala Harris,  Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee among many others.”

And even with the work left to be done, including electing state Sen. Jennifer McClellan to be the first Black congresswoman from Virginia, we remain hopeful because we know that with every Democratic pro-choice Black woman that EMILYs List supports in getting elected the more we’ll see legislation that recognizes our humanity and our role in making our nation a more perfect Union.”

EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, works to elect Democratic pro-choice women up and down the ballot and across the country with a goal of fighting for our rights and our communities. Our work is centered around a fundamental vision: Run. Win. Change the World. EMILYs List has raised over $700 million in service to that vision and has helped Democratic women win competitive elections by recruiting and training candidates, supporting and helping build strong campaigns, researching the issues that impact women and families, running one of the largest independent expenditure campaigns for Democrats, and turning out women voters to the polls. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect the country’s first woman as vice president, 159 women to the House, 26 to the Senate, 16 governors, and nearly 1,400 women to state and local office. More than 40% of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Visit www.emilyslist.org for more information.