BOSTON (July 14, 2016)--
Despite the growing electoral and economic imprint of
America’s 23 million Black women, they are still seriously underrepresented and
underserved.
After a week of racial tragedy and unrest, Higher
Heights and Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley asked 100 Black women on
Tuesday evening to “Take Your Seat” in the Edward M. Kennedy Institutes’
replica of the U.S. Senate chamber seeking to elevate Black women’s voices in
the political process through a photo taken symbolically in a chamber that
currently has ZERO Black women serving.
The epic and uplifting photograph shone a light at the end of
a very dreary week. The photo also took place on the 40-year anniversary of Barbara
Jordan historic 1976 Democratic Convention keynote. A member of the U.S. House
of Representatives from Texas, Jordan became the first African American woman
to deliver the televised landmark address before that audience.
“I was overwhelmed by this event. Watching 100 women come
through those Senate doors after a week where I felt disheartened was so
inspiring for the possibilities that exist for Black women that lead to move
this country foreword,” said Glynda Carr, Co-founder of Higher Heights. “This
chamber and the lack of Black women representation in the US Senate is the most
blatant example of us being shut out of the process and our voices not being
heard. We are 7 percent of the population, yet we are 3.4 percent of congress,
and out the 100 major cities in our country, there are only four black women
mayors. There is work to be done, and we all have a role to play.”
According to Higher Heights and Center for American
Women and Politics at Rutgers University’s 2015 Status of Black Women in
American Politics, Black women are 7.4% of the U.S. population yet make up only
3.4% of Congress.
Only two women of color have ever served in the
US Senate: Carol Moseley Braun, an African-American Democrat from Illinois who
was elected in 1992 and served until 1999, and Mazie Hirono, an Asian-American
Democrat from Hawaii who was elected in 2012.
"This is a visual protest ...to affirm for
ourselves and to the nation that Black women lead, Black women run, and Black
women vote. Today we affirmed that Black women are leading, in this city,
in this commonwealth, and I honor their contributions,” said Pressely. “The visual shot heard around the world today is merely
snapshot of our contributions, but a visual protest and demonstration
nonetheless as we take over a space we have historically been underrepresented
in.”
Attendees of the event included Diane Patrick, First Lady of
Massachusetts, and Sarah- Ann Shaw, the first
female African-American reporter to be televised in Boston, amongst others.
Faith leader and Dorchester
resident, Mariama White Hammond attended Tuesday’s event for encouragement and
hope.
“Over the last week we have seen so many images of the
ongoing issues of racism in our country. In the midst of so much strife and
grief, I came to this event because my soul needed to be lifted by the image of
100 strong Black women claiming their leadership,” said Hammond. “It helped me
to imagine the world that could be and to reinvigorate my commitment to working
for justice. I took my seat because I know that I stand on the shoulders of
amazing and courageous Black women. I took my seat to honor the legacy of my
ancestors and in hopes that my life will allow another generation to rise to
even higher heights.”
Pressley called Tuesday’s event, “the visual shot heard
around the world”, that will draw awareness of the gap in Black women’s political
leadership but also inspire and empower Black women to imagine the
possibilities that exist.
“We gathered over 100 diverse women who are leading every day
in their communities to take a seat for the countless Black women across the
country that do not think they have a seat or voice at the table”, said
Kimberly Peeler-Allen, Co-Founder of Higher Heights. “2016 is a movement
building opportunity for Black women to truly harness our collective political
power and leadership potential from the voting booth to elected office.”
Photo Credit: Eric Haynes
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