The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Nashville Metropolitan Chapter, joined with the Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis chapters and held 2013 Tennessee Legislative Days in conjunction with its annual Sister-for-Sister Conference held in March.
Rep. Lois Deberry, Memphis, Speaker Pro Tempore Emeritus, supported the organization and coordinated the process with committee chair, Marilyn Robinson. “Rep. Deberry is a treasure for the state of Tennessee as well as the Tennessee General Assembly. She works hard for the people and strives tirelessly for everyone to succeed. We are indebted to her for being such a great visionary and a loyal public servant,” said Marilyn Robinson.
The Coalition of 100 Black Women National President, M. Delois Strum, attended the Conference. Members of the other chapters that make up the statewide base also participated in the legislative activities. The presidents included Faith Edwards, Chattanooga, Niki Barnes, Memphis and Deloris Mitchell, Knoxville. The Conference was held in March at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville, and the Legislative Days at the Tennessee General Assembly took place March 11 and 12, following the conference. The General Assembly’s 108th session ended in mid-April, the earliest the session has ended in more than 40 years.
The Coalition’s purpose is to focus on education, economic empowerment, and health-related issues, as well as promoting self-sufficiency, networking and leadership development through advocacy with action.
“The focus of Legislative Days was to fully inform members of the Tennessee General Assembly about issues that affect African American women, girls and families as well as the communities,” said Veronica Marable Johnson, president of the Nashville Metropolitan Chapter.
A strong presence at the Capitol shows the relevance of the organization as well as women throughout the state, who make up 51% of the population of Tennessee. “Issues of major concern include health care, jobs, education, redistricting and voter rights law,” said Marilyn Robinson, Chairperson, Nashville Coalition of 100 Black Women Foundation, Inc.
Members of the Nashville Coalition, as well as other women’s organizations participated in the Legislative Days on the Hill events. There were meetings with members of the General Assembly, an introduction in the House of Representatives Chamber and photo sessions.
“These are not times to be silent or invisible, these are times for us to stand tall, be seen and be heard,” said Misha Maynard, chairperson of the Public Policy Committee.
The mission of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. (NCBW) is to advocate on behalf of women of color through national and local actions and strategic alliances that promote its national and international agendas on leadership development and gender equity in the areas of health, education and economic development.
For more information about the 2013 Legislative Days-on-the-Hill activities, contact Marilyn Robinson at 615.255.0432 or visit the website at www.nashville100bw.org.
