Get Out the Vote
Continue to promote voter registration and voting in preparation for the upcoming 2016 presidential primaries and fall election. Partner with the League of Women Voters, the NAACP, other African American organizations, including the AKA, Deltas, Links, and National Coalition of 100 Black Women (nationally and on local Chapter level) to promote voter registration and getting out the vote. This is our top priority.
The Platform
Follow-up with our Regions and Chapters to continue our advocacy on the national legislative platform initiatives regarding healthcare, education, and gun control, and specifically the three bills we supported at OTH, the PRIDE Act, the Strong Start for Children Act, and the restoration of the Voting Rights Act. We have all presented the power point at our Regional Cluster Area Work days.
Legislative Partnerships
Encourage the partnership with the Junior State of America and continue to foster the formation of Jack and Jill Group 5 Junior State of America Chapters, providing our teens with additional leadership development opportunities and college preparation credentials. Promote our partnership with the Children’s Defense Fund.
State Capitol Legislative Days
Plan State Capitol Legislative Days, either for Jack and Jill alone or in collaboration with another historic black organization, such as the Links, AKA, Delta, Congressional Black Caucus, State Legislative Black Caucus, etc. for 2016 legislative sessions.
National Convention Legislative Luncheon Planning
Continuing to promote the National Legislative Leadership Awards to be awarded at the National Convention in 2016 at the NC’s Legislative Luncheon. We will continue our Milestone Theme with special emphasis on the 45th Anniversary of the Founding of the Congressional Black Caucus. We plan to invite the California CBC delegation, Honorable Karen Bass, Maxine Waters, and Barbara Lee as well as the first Black woman elected to Congress in California, Yvonne Braithwaite Burke, and her daughter, Assembly Member Autumn Burke. The award criteria will include effective advocacy of legislative platform initiatives, chapter wide reach (spanning all five groups), broader community impact, and documentation (video, photos, newspaper coverage, letter writing campaigns, acknowledgment by local elected officials). The submissions are due June 1, 2016. The awardees will receive recognition at the convention, on the Jack and Jill website, Facebook page, and will receive a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place award for their chapter. There will be 7 honorable mentions, one in each evaluation category. The evaluation form is attached and should be placed on the website. The luncheon is Friday, July 29th at 1pm.