U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and Howard University political scientist Dr. Michael Fauntroy were two of the 10 2016 Virginia Leadership Institute (VLI) Decade awardees. At a reception on Sept. 22 at the National Press Club in downtown D.C., Edwards thanked the institute for the award and reflected on her tenure in the U.S. Congress.
U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.)
“It has been a real privilege to serve the people of the Fourth Congressional District,” the representative said. Edwards will leave the House on Jan. 2, 2017 after serving eight years. She lost the race to succeed Sen. Barbara Mikulski to Chris Van Hollen earlier this year.
The leadership institute was founded in 2006 with the aim of increasing the number of Black elected officials in Virginia to 500 by 2026. It trains future political office holders on the nuts and bolts of setting up and running political campaigns, sponsoring forums for political and public policy networking and advocating for Black issues. The first awards reception took place in 2013 and the honorees have mainly been Black business, community, and local political leaders who live in northern Virginia.
Edwards is the first member of Congress honored at a reception.
Edwards, the first Black woman to represent Maryland in the Congress, decided to run for the U.S. Senate being vacated by Barbara Mikulski, but came up short to Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in the April 24 primary. She spoke briefly about her post-congressional plans. “I am going to get in my RV and travel around to all of the National Parks and write a blog about the experience,” she told the intimate gathering of 30 people. “After four months, I will come back to D.C. and see what happens next.”
Howard University political scientist Dr. Michael Fauntroy
Dr. Michael Fauntroy is a District native and taught for a number of years at George Mason University. Fauntroy, the author of three books on various topics in American politics, was pleased to get the award and said that public service is an important endeavor. “There are so many ways to serve and I would like to give thanks to VLI, there is a pipeline to learn about politics,” Fauntroy said. “Right now, I am teaching 18-year-olds who don’t think it matters whether they vote in the election because a Black man isn’t on the ballot.”
Fauntroy bemoaned “ignorance in public discourse” and said that “people need to be energized.”
“Politics is honorable and necessary,” he said.
Warren Thompson, president of Thompson Hospitality, was also an honoree. He talked about the importance of being involved politically and spoke about his latest business venture: Sweet Home Café, located in the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Spring Lake, N.C. Mayor Chris Rey (D) was also an honoree, and addressed running for mayor in 2011 and his 2016 U.S. Senate bid.
April Ryan – White House correspondent, Washington Bureau Chief for American Urban Radio Networks, and an author – was honored for her work as a standout journalist who speaks up for Blacks. “I’m just a little girl from Baltimore,” Ryan said of her success. “It is nothing but God that allows me to question three American presidents. It’s not easy in this town. This town is, in many ways, still a White male town.”
Phyllis J. Randall, who has close ties to the institute, was celebrated for her historic election in 2015 as the first Black person to serve as chair of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. Randall said she emerged victorious in her third try for elected office and received encouragement from Democratic statewide elected officials such as Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring.
Other honorees were George Mason University political scientist Dr. Toni Michelle-Travis, community advocate Kenya Savage, and Levar Stoney, former secretary of commonwealth, Virginia. Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele wasn’t present to be honored.
“We had a successful reception today and we are concentrating on training the next generation of political leaders not only in Virginia but in the DMV,” said Krysta Jones, founder and CEO of the leadership institute told the AFRO. “We have plans to expand to Maryland and the District of Columbia.”
