The Congressional Black Associates Celebrate 39 years of Empowering and Promoting Black Congressional Staffers on Capitol Hill
Published by Herline Mathieu at | Herlinemathieu23@gmail.com
On Tuesday September 10th, 2019 the Congressional Black Associates celebrated its 39th anniversary. The evening was attended by congressional staffers, DC professionals and members of Congress all gathered to celebrate nearly four decades dedicated to promoting and empowering black congressional staffers on Capitol Hill.
CBA sponsor Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY-9), shared a few remarks during the evening “Black voices should be heard loud and proud from the Hill. Without our unique voices and ideas present at the table, we wouldn’t be able to move issues forward that matter to Black Americans. Happy 39th anniversary, Capitol Black Associates! I am proud to be your 2019 sponsor and look forward to the next 39 years and beyond.”
Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) who made history earlier this year as the youngest black women elected to Congress also joined in the evening and shared of her own experiences on Capitol Hill and how staff associations like CBA and programs like the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation internship program have been instrumental in getting her where she is today.
Congressman Sanford Bishop
Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA-2) shared the final remarks of the evening stating how critical the work of CBA is to strengthening black representation within Congress.
Throughout the year CBA hosts events for congressional staffers that include giving back to the community and hosting professional development panels designed to give insight on ways staffers can excel within their careers.
CBA’19 President Audra Jackson shared “My goal as president is reassure black staffers that they have a community on the Hill, while providing ample opportunity for professional development.”
The Congressional Black Associates (CBA) is an officially House-recognized, bi partisan Congressional staff organization whose mission is to advance the interests of current and prospective African-American staffers and the larger African diaspora at large. CBA is dedicated to encouraging professional development, community service, and advocating on behalf of the Black community by strengthening civic participation and representation at all levels of government.
