*Governor Gavin Newsom,
Like a modern-day Harriet Tubman, Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris kicked opened the door to claim a seat at the U.S. Senate table. Her legacy is to lead more Black women to the table who will represent a forgotten but strong California population. Â It is no surprise that women are already underrepresented in the U.S. Senate; and that is unacceptable. California should continue to buck the trend and send a Black woman to the U.S. Senate.
Historically, Black women are blatantly excluded from leadership roles. Kamala Harris, the only Black woman in the U.S. Senate, changed the game for us and proved that a Black woman is invaluable to the progression of California and our Nation. Let’s not forget that Black women voted in record numbers to deliver a victory to Democrats and our country.
Far too often the work and sacrifices of Black women go unrecognized and undervalued. We urge you to honor and embrace the hard work and determination that Kamala Harris and Black women have forged through to keep California strong. Â We earned the right to #KeeptheSeat and will continue to fight to never give up our seat to represent all people but especially the largest population in the State of California.
December 1 marked the 65th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat. Her right to keep her seat was a symbol of will power and the right to claim a prominent place in this world. We are ready to repeat the historic and courageous move that Ms. Parks made to demand respect and inclusion. She stood her ground without a coalition of Black women by her side.
Today, Black women from across the Nation are in full force to stand beside U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA-37) and U.S. Congresswomen Barbara Lee (D-CA-13) and fight for them to be the right choice to fill the seat. Don’t mute the Black woman’s voice.
We live the values of gender equality, fairness, community, diversity, and authenticity that are essential to strong leadership. We ask that you do not overlook our progressive leaders Bass and Lee to carry the torch lit by Kamala Harris.
There is no doubt that Bass and Lee are ready to take on the challenges and issues that face Californians. They have the experience and the relationships to step in Kamala Harris’ shoes and step up to the table with confidence and determination. They know how to get the work done in Congress while advocating for the needs of Californians.
This is our time, and we are staking our claim to the seat that Kamala Harris earned with the support of Black women. We are the backbone of the democratic party, both as voters and organizers. Diversity in our leaders is the core to who we are in California. Together, we benefit from a variety in experiences and perspectives.
We know that both Bass and Lee are leaders that we can trust and depend on in crisis. That said, we deserve to maintain our representation in the U.S. Senate. Governor Newsom, we urge you to hear us and appoint Bass or Lee to the seat.
It’s time to deliver for us.
California Black Women Coalition for #KeepTheSeat
Hon. Donesia Gause-Aldana Carson           Hon. Sydney Kamlager-Dove Los Angeles   Hon. Deborah Robertson    Rialto
Hon. Aja Brown                       Compton      Hon. Lula Davis-Holmes          Carson           Hon. Emma Sharif          Compton
Hon. Cheryl Brown                 Sacramento    Hon. Yvonne Horton                Inglewood    Hon. Diane Watson    Los Angeles
Hon. Autumn Burke               Los Angeles    Hon. Holly J. Mitchell              Los Angeles  Hon. Shirley Weber      San Diego
Hon. Michelle Chambers      Compton        Hon. Treva Reid                       Oakland         Hon. Lori Wilson         Suisun City
Melina Abdullah           Los Angeles
Aimee Allison               Oakland
Bobbiejean Anderson Moreno Valley
Ebani Anderson            Los Angeles
Niele Anderson            Los Angeles
Joy Atkinson                 Los Angeles
Sheila Baker                Bellflower
Kim Ballard                   Lancaster
Sabrina Benson           Rialto
Vicki Blakley                 Sacramento
Charlotte Bland           Los Angeles
Sheila Brown               Los Angeles
Taisha Brown              San Diego
Tonya Burke                Perris
April Burton                 Compton
Velma Butler               Pasadena
Barbara Calhoun         Compton
Darla Carpool              Los Angeles
Jasmyne Cannick         Los Angeles
Sandi Cook                    Los Angeles
Lori Cordinus                Orange
Maureen Craft             Elk Grove
Karen Earl                       Los Angeles
Nolice Edwards             Sacramento
Kimberly Ellis                 Richmond
Dionne Faulk                 Inglewood
Nourbese Flint             Los Angeles
Norma Foree                Long Beach
Carolyn Fowler              Inglewood
Dallas Fowler                 Inglewood
Gail Francis                     Lake Elsinore
Tresla Gilbreath              Sacramento
Glenda Gill                      Los Angeles
Angela Gipson               Inglewood
Le Cresha K. Gipson       Carson
Wendy Gladney              Upland
Alice Goff                         Los Angeles
Gloria Gray                     Inglewood
Sharon Guest                 Los Angeles
Kellie Hawkins               Los Angeles
Jacqueline Hawthorne  Los Angeles
Nichelle Henderson       Gardena
Ingrid Hutt                      Los Angeles
Danielle Hollis            Burbank
lona Hendrick            Los Angeles
Patsy Howard            Los Angeles
Cine Ivery                    Inglewood
Andrea Jackson          Los Angeles
Jannell Jackson          Sacramento
Joan Jackson               Los Angeles
Adrienne Johnson      Pasadena
Rachel Johnson          Gardena
Deidre Jones              Long Beach
Rev. Dr. Joy Johnson Antelope
Laniece Jones            Oakland
Holland Jordan          Castro Valley
Angela King                 Los Angeles
Marie Y. Lemelle        Glendale
Bennetra Lewis          Lancaster
Alicia Lewis                 Los Angeles
Arnetta Mack             Inglewood
Natasha Marshall      Inglewood
Phyllis Marshall          Sacramento
Ronnie Martin           Los Angeles
Tamry McCauley        Santa Clarita
Tina McKinnor           Hawthorne
Tonia McMillian         Bellflower
Dewanda Mitchell     San Bernardino
Tracy Mitchell            Pasadena
Tamela Mitchell         Pasadena
Pamela Mitchell         Pasadena
Sarah Morris              Adelanto
Shenia Morris            Victorville
Gloria Myles               Los Angeles
Ingrid Palmer             Los Angeles
Ann Perkins                 San Bernardino
Sharon Polk                 Los Angeles
Sandra Poole              Sacramento
Angela Reddock          Carson
Lenee Richards           Los Angeles
Audrena Redmond     Long Beach
Diane Robertson         Los Angeles
Rosa Russell                Los Angeles
Patt Sanders               Inglewood
Jamie Scott                  Inglewood
Andrea Slater                Vallejo
Dolores Spears              Los Angeles
Brianna Spratt               Irvine
Jasmine Stanley              Los Angeles
Tiffani Stone                    Elk Grove
Novell Thompson           Fontana
Gloria Gray                     Inglewood
Anette Walker               Hayward
Jackie Washington         Hawthorne
Molly Watson                 Los Angeles
Denise Watts                 Canyon Country
Daphne Wayans             Tarzana
Yvonne Wheeler             Long Beach
Wanza Tolliver                Los Angeles
Kathy Williamson            Los Angeles
Katrina Williams               Long Beach
- Patrice Williams Vallejo
Wanda F. Williams           Sacramento
Gail Willis                            Los Angeles
Lolita Willis                         Long Beach
Ethell Woods                    Los Angeles
Jimmy Woods Gray           Los Angeles
Rashina Young                   Carson
Melanie Young                   Long Beach
Tiffani Stone Alvidez          Elk Grove
Jacque Robinson-Baisley   Pasadena
Shay Franco-Clausen          San Jose
Lola Smallwood Cuevas      Los Angeles
Julia Cooksey-Evans           Northridge
Cheryl Lanier Gates            San Francisco
Kellie Todd-Griffin               Carson
Dezie Woods-Jones             Madera
Kendra Noel Lewis               Sacramento
Patrice Marshall McKenzie  Pasadena
Pamela Bright-Moon            Los Angeles
Eva Hoffman-Murray            Bellflower
Pastor Thembeklia Smart    Los Angeles
Roslyn Austin Stewart          Los Angeles
L’Toya Wheeler Tate            Corona
Charisse Bremond Weaver  Pasadena
Charlotte Northern White    San Diego
source: Marie Y. Lemelle, MBA via Regina Wilson
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