Tuesday, March 9, 7 PM
Getting together with Benicia Black Lives Matter
Discussion with Benicia Black Lives Matter
On March 9, we welcomed about a dozen Benicia Black Lives Matter members who joined us in conversations and brainstorming how we might support one another and collaborate in the future.
First, each group gave a brief overview of their group’s origins, goals, successes, and membership. Nimat Shakoor-Grantham and Brandon Greene presented for Benicia Black Lives Matter.
Mayor Steve Young presented an update on the City of Benicia’s responses to BBLM issues, including the status on hiring of the Diversity and Equity Manager.
After these introductions, we divided into six ZOOM “breakout rooms with 5-7 participants, where we shared conversations around areas of work and issues where we might collaborate on projects and actions.
The reports back from the 6 breakout rooms were full of good ideas, comments and suggestions.
PDB looks forward to ongoing strong relationships with BBLM.
Benicia Black Lives Matter is a local, grassroots community group organized to address anti-Black racism in the city of Benicia. BBLM is the principal reason the City of Benicia is presently interviewing for an Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Manger, establishing a Commission United for Racial Equity (CURE), and will be conducting an Equity Audit of Benicia’s government and services.
We strongly support BBLM’s strategy to get Benicians to “Actively Commit to Change” and its mission to have the City create and target a specific, actionable vision of what a better, more inclusive and equitable future looks like.
PDB’s mission is to ensure equity and justice for all people, and support the election and appointment of officials that support this mission. Our programs and actions since 2017 have promoted our mission, and we hope collaboration with BBLM will help us operationalize racial and social justice into our work more effectively. More broadly, through collaboration we hope we can combine resources and energy for greater impact in Benicia and our communities.
March is Women’s History Month and March 8th is International Women’s Day. Local and nearby groups are hosting these events to celebrate women’s contributions to history, society, and culture. These discussions have local tie-ins which should pique your interest, and we encourage you to check them out!
Post-Election 2020 – What’s Next?
On Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, at 4 pm, the Benicia-Vallejo branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will co-sponsor with the Center for Common Ground “Post-Election 2020 – What’s Next?”
Andrea Miller, Center for Common Ground
This is a free Zoom program, with Andrea Miller, founding Board Member of the non-partisan Center for Common Ground and its Reclaim our Vote (ROV) Campaign.
Ms. Miller will discuss the past 2020 election and how volunteer involvement led to successful voter turnout. Her program will outline the challenges ahead including the need for civic education and engagement and how individuals may get involved. Some of the topics she will address include:
Empowerment of underrepresented voters, specifically focusing on young adults from the ages of 18-24, of all races and all ethnicities.
Advocacy for federal act S1/HR1, known as For the People Act (For the People Act.) This Act would mandate that all states must allow early voting, voting by mail and online voter registration. It also includes provisions to reform redistricting, campaign finance, and restoration of the right to vote after release from prison.
The program honors the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world: Women Shaping a more Equitable Future.
The joint AAUW celebration features a welcome and opening remarks by Eleni Kounalakis, California’s Lieutenant Governor. She is the first woman elected to this office and has served in this position since 2019.
The program will feature comments by four additional speakers:
Elizabeth Patterson, MURP, is a former mayor of the City of Benicia. She will describe her journey for a sustainable world from a young girl to a career in land use planning and management and elected office.
Claudia Martinez-Schwarz, MPH, is a food policy expert who is administering a federal grant to educate rural high schoolers in Armenia and leading a USAID grant submission for STEM students in Colombia.
Asha Bajaj, PT/DPT, has managed her own practice in physical therapy for 20 years, in which she focused on women’s health. She served as assistant professor of physical therapy at the University of California at San Francisco.
Teresa Cheung is a licensed professional chemical engineer, MBA and a past Chair of the Northern California section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). She was the first woman winner of the Institute’s most prestigious Professional Progress Award.
A question and answer session will be included, as well as a short video salute to international women leaders.
The Solano Commission for Women and Girls will conduct a series of conversations during the month of March with women who have achieved leadership roles in their respective professions and workplaces.
Women Leaders of Today and Tomorrow
Join Solano Women in Conversation about How They Became Leaders
For questions contact Commission Chair Laura Petty at: [email protected] (707)759-2588.
ALSO… Black Women Leading – California Democrats – TOMORROW! February 25 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm PST
Celebrate Black History Month with the California Democratic Party and the CADEM Black Caucus on February 25, at 5:00 p.m. for Black Women Lead, a virtual conversation on what we can do to support more Black women running for elected office, leading campaigns, and playing key roles in legislative offices. The conversation will include:
Congressmember Barbara Lee
Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber
CADEM’s Women’s Caucus Vice-Chair Carolyn Fowler, and
CADEM Black Caucus Chair Taisha Brown
We all know that Black women voters are a core part of Democratic victories but are underrepresented in elected offices, in campaign leadership, and key staff positions. CADEM believes we have seen some progress but more work is needed.
Also, the Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison is joining the CA Democratic Party (CADEM) and the CADEM Black Caucus Thursday, February 25 at 5 p.m. to celebrate Black History Month.
RSVP NOW »
RSVP today to join the conversation https://cadem.vote/leading. Black Women Lead will also stream LIVE on Facebook.
Andrew Kelly’s ‘Young Voters Report’ debuted last Tuesday
For his inaugural Young Voters Report podcast, Benician Andrew Kelly interviewed Benicia Unifiied School District trustee Mark Maselli.
Kelly explores the recall effort against Maselli and the re-opening of Benicia schools.
The Young Voters Report podcast will come out every other Monday, featuring local issues that effect young people. Kelly and the podcast are sponsored by Progressive Democrats of Benicia. Andrew is also a contributing reporter for the Benicia Herald.
