By Catherine Pugh,
Special to the AFRO
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many organizations across the country to shut down their in-person meetings and conferences over the past two years. This relegated them to online and zoom gatherings and participation. The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) was no exception.
Last week, after a two-year hiatus, the ALC returned to Washington, D.C. with all due pomp and circumstance.
Most of the activities, sessions, exhibit halls, workshops, brain trusts, prayer breakfasts and gala were held at the Walter Washington Convention Center in Downtown D.C. from Sept. 28 through Oct. 2.
This year marked the 51st anniversary of the five-day event and its theme, established by its co-chairs, Congresswoman Val Demings of Florida and Congressman Steven Hordsford of Nevada, was “Advancing our Purpose, Elevating our Power.”
Almost every speaker throughout the workshops, brain trusts, prayer breakfasts and closing events, like the Phoenix Awards, emphasized the essence of the theme.
By the turnout at this years’ ALC it was obvious that people were eager to return. The five-day event also saw many Black organizations gathered in Washington, D.C., not only to attend and participate in the conference, but to host their own group meetings, including the African American Mayors Association and the National Conference of Black State Legislators.
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation announced in June that it anticipated nearly 10,000 individuals to converge on the district. Hurricane Ian may have influenced those numbers when folks, traveling from Florida, North and South Carolina, were grounded by the weather.
There were over 100 workshops and Braintrusts, covering topics ranging from how to do business with federal agencies to taking care of one’s health. Braintrusts were hosted by most of the 58 members of the Congressional Black Caucus including Congressman Kweisi Mfume, while other workshops attracted Black celebrity hosts, industry leaders, government, social and media leaders, including Morris Chestnut, Al Sharpton, April Ryan, Donna Brazile, Dr. Jeanette Epps, Susan Taylor, and Wendy Osefo.
David Bramble, a Baltimore developer, was a panelist in the workshop “Accelerating Transformation in Disadvantaged Communities through Retail Development.” Bramble told his listeners that the numbers must work and sometimes there must be a compromise between the developer and the community. “You cannot always get everything you want and sometimes it may require partnerships,” said Bramble. “When you decide to do a project, you must finish it.”
Soledad O’Brien, a notable broadcast journalist and an executive producer on the panel, “Our Voices Must be Heard,” announced her documentary on Rosa Parks which will “stream live, “on Peacock on Oct. 19.
“We have been led to believe that Rosa Parks was just a tired little older lady sitting on a bus and refused to give up her seat. She was much more than that,” said O’Brien. “Her activism began long before that infamous day, and afterwards she could not get a job in her own town and had to move to Michigan.”
At the end of the workshop, hosted by Ed Gordon, who has worked as a broadcast journalist with BET for over four decades, Soledad showed a clip from the upcoming documentary, “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks.”
Doing business with the Federal Government attracted a standing room only crowd. President of the Black Chamber of Commerce, Ron Busby, Sr., reminded the audience that his organization is the only group that certifies Black Companies. You can go to Byblack.us to begin that process.
Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League reminded the audience of the recent passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, The Inflation Reduction Act, and the Chips and Science Act, where billions of dollars are available and the Black community should not miss out. “We must demand executive orders by Mayors and Governors to assure that there is diversity in the spending of these dollars, and we are included,” said Morial.
The exhibit hall featured film screenings, a Black author’s showcase, a career and job fair, health and wellness screenings, panel discussions, a social media lounge, and vendors jewelry and clothing, and a fashion show.
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