By Tashi McQueen,
AFRO Political Writer,
tmcqueen@afro.com
A staple of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference is the National Town Hall, a venue for a cross-section of Black America to address the various issues affecting the broader community. And this year was no different, as Ayana Parsons, of the Fearless Fund, and LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter Fund, headlined a spirited discussion on Black political and economic power, racial equity and other topics.
“Today, we know that old battles have become new, and our progress is under attack. We see these new attacks every day╼whitewashing our history, removing stories from our textbooks, restricting our right to vote, and the list goes on and on,” said U.S. Rep. Terry Sewell (D-Ala.), chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Board. “I am beyond concerned.”
Regarding racial equity in the United States, Parsons – chief operating officer of the Fearless Fund, a non-profit designed to boost venture capital funding for African-American entrepreneurs – said leveraging money, power and love is most important.
“There are three things that make this world go round: money, power, and love,” said Parsons. “As Black folks, we got a whole lot of love, but we don’t have enough power. We sure don’t have enough money.”
But Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford, a Democrat representing Nevada in the House, disagreed, saying Black people have more power than they think.
“While we may not have all the money we need, we have more power than we use economically,” he said. “We have more power if we combine the resources of our Black mayors, county executives, state legislators and the Congressional Black Caucus to coordinate, have a central message and mobilize our people. When we reach the people and the people know the plan, we win.”
Regarding protecting and strengthening democracy, Del. Stacey Plaskett, of the U.S. Virgin Islands, said organized disruption is needed.
“I am willing to be disruptive. I don’t allow their (political opponents’) lies,” said Plaskett. “Set your own rules.”
Brown, who co-founded the Black Voters Matter Fund, said Black people need a political home and to invest in the Black community.
“You need a political home. Whether that’s the NAACP or Black Voters Matter, you have to join or be a part of something that will help you shape how you think about politics within Blackness,” she said. “We can give all these White folk money for our shoes, our clothes, all the things that we’re doing [but] you need to have a freedom fund. Create a freedom fund so that you are actually supporting your liberation.”
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