The Black Leadership Council (BLC), a statewide coalition of leaders seeking to improve conditions for Black Californians and other vulnerable populations across our state, will gather in Sacramento on June 19th for their third annual legislative day of action. Together, leaders from across public and private sectors will engage with key policy makers in Sacramento to advance systemic solutions for the most pressing issues facing Black Californians. The group will also honor the following six leaders for their dedication to excellence and their vision for creating a just and equitable California, during a luncheon at the Sutter Club (1220 9th Street Sacramento):
Dr. Flo Cofer, Epidemiologist, Policy Director, Community Advocate
Tony Thurmond, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Shirley N. Weber, PhD., California Secretary of State
Tiyesha Watts, Legislative & Policy Analyst, California Academy of Family Physicians
Tomiquia Moss, Secretary, California Business, Consumer Services, Housing Agency
Malia Cohen, California State Controller
The BLC formed in 2019 in response to a SF Health Department Black/African American health report, which found stark health disparities, including the prevalence of chronic diseases, life expectancy rates, education levels, and homelessness rates for Black San Franciscans. But following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the coalition opted for a more comprehensive approach to action, centering on statewide reform, formulating a Black prosperity agenda that includes four key policy areas: health, wealth, housing, and education.
“The Black Leadership Council chose Juneteenth as our Black in Action Day because it signifies the proactive stance Black and African Americans have to continue to take as we educate ourselves and our elected representatives on the issues that are critically important to our community,” said Brett Andrews, a co-chair of the coalition and Interim CEO of Bay Area housing nonprofit All Home. Andrews co-found the coalition during his time as CEO of San Francisco social service provider PRC.
Among the over 20 bills the BLC is supporting, they have co-sponsored two pieces of legislation, AB 2465 (Gipson) and AB 2250 (Weber). The first, introduced by Compton-area Assemblymember Mike Gipson, would level the playing field by requiring specific state agencies to implement equity in a specific set of grant programs where people of color and diverse-led organizations are underrepresented or non-existent. The latter, introduced by San Diego-area Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber, would improve access to social determinants of health (SDOH) screenings and community navigation services by requiring health plans and insurers to pay for screening for SDOH, and to provide access to community health workers, promoters, representatives, peer support specialist, lay health workers, and social workers.
Former California Deputy Secretary of State and BLC member Tamara Rasberry outlined the BLC’s legislative priorities stating, “Our vision is to move California out of a deficit mind-set for Black communities. Our legislative priorities encompass this belief: from outlawing discrimination of natural hairstyles and boosting violence prevention efforts at the community level, to expanding Medi-Cal benefits and eradicating food deserts, we strive to create a prosperous California for all who have been historically left behind.”
Beyond this legislative day of action, the BLC is actively involved in advocacy, voter engagement, and other community-centric volunteering efforts that support Black, Indigenous, and communities of color throughout the state of California.
