WA BUILD BACK BLACK ALLIANCE CALLS FOR EQUITY IN 2022 LEG SESSION
SEATTLE, Jan. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Washington Build Back Black Alliance (WBBA), is calling on the upcoming Washington State Legislative session to meet or exceed last year's accomplishments that resulted in 155 bills being passed that mattered to black and other POC communities. That included funding to help solve the ongoing issue of food insecurity, affecting hundreds of thousands of families in Washington State alone.
WBBA Founder and Principal Advocate, Paula Sardinas said, "We exist to help the everyday citizen connect with local, state, and federally elected officials, crafting policies that dismantle structural racism while advancing the cause of racial equity and economic prosperity." Sardinas continued, "It's not enough to apply an equity lens? we must change the culture in Washington State and we are looking to our legislators to continue doing that in the upcoming session."
WBBA began in 2020 with five Black CEOs committed to uniting the black and other POC communities from East to West. Nearly a year later, the organization is sponsored by Clean & Prosperous Washington and Amazon and fourteen Black and POC-led organizations in their Alliance.
Siting unity as the key to change, Sardinas said, "What we have found to be most effective for real change is unity. We must have unity in the community to see real change take place."
Originally from the South, Sardinas has a long and storied history of civil rights and advocacy work. She's advocated and worked with every President of the United States since Bill Clinton. As the founder of the WBBA, education, and advocacy is the mission.
"We know how to react when a member of our community is killed by the police. But we need voices and hearts who understand those lives must matter 365 days a year, even when no one is killed. Issues of systemic poverty, homeownership, and digital equity persist. Speaking with one voice, while acknowledging the black and other POC communities are not a monolith? is the best avenue for real change," said Sardinas.
According to Sardinas, COVID -19 has been a game-changer for advocacy. The virtual process has allowed more voices to engage with elected officials and she added that the WBBA would like to see this continue. FMS Global Strategies was chosen as one of the BIPOC partners by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and serves on the WSU/WSDA BIPOC Food Insecurity Leadership Team. FMS' Global Strategies feeds 1,500 families each week through its organization Food4 Good.
As the Alliance looks to the 2022 legislative session, Sardinas said her organization is committed to doing the work that matters most to the black and other POC communities. "The WBBA works with 214 community groups, encouraging all voices to join the conversation. Inclusion and representation matter."
The WASHINGTON BUILD BACK BLACK ALLIANCE (WBBA) was formed in the fall of 2020 when a group of Black and other POC non-profit executives and business leaders decided to consolidate their influence to speak on behalf of the black community across Washington State. Led by a leadership team of non-profit executives, and business leaders, the group is committed to connecting the black community (young and established) by advocating cooperatively for shared generational prosperity in an unprecedented move. Their mission is to harness the power of black advocacy to speak with one voice ? to local Mayors, City Councils, the Legislature and the Executive Office regarding the need to fund a sustainable, scalable plan for the black community while always maintaining its integrity and focus for WBBA members and those it serves. https://www.fmsglobalstrategies.com/wbba
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SOURCE FMS Global Strategies
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