Influential Women Of Color Share Federal Policy Recommendations

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- More than twenty national organizations and scores of bi-partisan women influencers and advocates gathered in Washington, DC recently to share ideas and advance federal policy recommendations for the new Congress and Trump transition team.

The inaugural Policy Think: Women of Color Policy Summit held on November 15, 2016 and  spearheaded by CELIE (the Civic Engagement and Leadership Institute for Everyone) was designed to harness the collective thinking of one of the most influential voting segments in the U.S., women of color.

Those who gathered and addressed the Summit included:  Representatives Joyce Beatty, Grace Meng, Bonnie Coleman Watson and FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.  Organizations supporting the effort included: American Association of University Women,  Council for Opportunity in Education, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, National Association of Social Workers, National Medical Association and the National Hispanic Medical Association, National Women's Law Center, National Women's Political Caucus, National Organization of Women, National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, and the Ronald W. Walters Leadership and Public Policy Center at Howard University.

Recommendations emerging from the summit address: providing necessary funding for nondefense discretionary programs; tending to the needs of the young and elderly and their caregivers; protecting civil rights and the rights of immigrants; providing a living wage; continued affordable access to health care; criminal justice reform; providing globally-competitive educational opportunities; increase access to broadband; removing barriers to professional mobility and access to capital for minority-women-owned businesses.

According to CELIE Founder, Anita Estell, "This is the first time that something of this caliber has been convened at the national level for women of color.  We have placed our finger on something that resonates profoundly with this community and with the policy makers we are engaging," says Estell. "The recommendations are being shared with President-elect Trump's transition team this week and will be sent to members of Congress upon their return to the Capitol in January." 

CELIE is committed to expanding access and opportunity for all Americans, particularly underserved and multicultural populations in the areas of civic engagement, leadership development, and public and private diversity and inclusion efforts. To learn more about the policy recommendations and about CELIE go to www.celie.org.

CONTACT: 
Tina Wynn
The Brown Wynn Agency
201-886-8770

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SOURCE CELIE (the Civic Engagement and Leadership Institute for Everyone)