THE BLAC MANIFESTO
We, at the Black Leadership Action Coalition, as well as The Black Institute, have joined forces to produce a political document that, while it is not The “Black Agenda,” it is A “Black Agenda.” Our president and founder Bertha Lewis, with her 35 years of experience organizing issue campaigns and political campaigns, as well as both The Black Action Leadership Coalition and The Black Institute, felt that in this current political climate the issuance of a political document was necessary. A Manifesto, one that would not only embody the issues and policies of each organization, but would codify the culmination of over a decade of combined work by both organizations.
The decision to produce this document was not made lightly, but in view of the unprecedented electoral season in 2021. Over two-thirds of the city council, the mayor, the city comptroller, and several borough presidents will be elected this year. We feel obliged to produce this three-part manifesto because there is no issue, no election, no solution to any problem, that takes place in a vacuum. Too many people run for elected office without knowing what the position’s capabilities and limitations are, and too many voters lack the understanding of these offices as well. It is imperative that both candidates and voters understand these offices and their powers or lack thereof.
We also take this opportunity to lay out our organizations’ objectives in line with our four issue areas: Education, Economic Fairness, Environmental Justice and Immigration. We believe that these are issues that heavily impact people of color, yet we make no claim to speak for All black people. Our overview of the issues in this Manifesto are not total or all-encompassing; this is simply our debut document intended to address the candidates and elected officials who are pertinent in the 2021 New York elections. Our goal in making this document so accessible to these individuals is to ensure that they are aware of what issues and standards we will hold them to
In line with that, we will be issuing a report card in May of 2021 for each elected office. Our Manifesto will be used to judge our position of support or critique for each of these. While we may in the future adjust our Manifesto, it is our intent that it will serve as a guideline and a call to action for those that really believe that Black Lives Matter
In struggle,
BLAC (Black Leadership Action Coalition)
Bertha Lewis, Jacob Scupp
TBI (The Black Institute)
Bertha Lewis, Salematou Kake, Ryan Dougherty
The BLAC Manifesto is a collaborative effort between the Black Leadership Action Coalition (BLAC) and its sister organization, The Black Institute, who are dedicated to raising the voices of black people and people of color communities in NYC and throughout the diaspora.
The Black Institute (TBI) in particular is an action-tank – a think-tank that takes action. TBI injects new ideas for achieving racial equity and justice into the policy realm. TBI’s unique mobilization and organization strategies build power and deliver justice to communities of color along with BLAC. BLAC represents the political action arm of TBI turns TBI’s policy solutions into functional law. The Black Institute (TBI) in particular is an action-tank – a think-tank that takes action. TBI injects new ideas for achieving racial equity and justice into the policy realm. TBI’s unique mobilization and organization strategies build power and deliver justice to communities of color along with BLAC. BLAC represents the political action arm of TBI, and turns TBI’s policy solutions into functional law.
The election season of 2021 on the national, state and local levels has called for a serious and fundamental examination of elected office in New York City.
Politicians have developed a misguided perception of their roles and responsibilities in elected office and its time someone laid out a comprehensive outline of what our politicians are actually responsible for. BLAC is inspired by the shortcomings of the political process in New York City and aim to do better. Therefore, this manifesto will lay out BLAC’s electoral priorities and political points of view in three unique compartments. The Roles and Responsibilities of each elected office; the Issues, Policies and Legislation that each office should prioritize; and BLAC’s vision for better and more efficient government in New York.