NBJC

National Black Justice Coalition Unveils Federal Policy Agenda for 118th Congressional Term

CONTACT: Jordan Wilhelmi | jordan@unbendablemedia.com 

Exec. Dir. Dr. David J. Johns, Ph.D., calls for ‘Courage of Moral Majority in Both Parties to Provide Redress to Black People, Black LGBTQ+/SGL Community.’’

WASHINGTON –Today, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a leading Black LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, unveiled its Federal Policy Agenda for the 118th Congressional Term, offering its recommendations for urgently needed action to address pressing public policy issues facing the Black LGBTQ+/SGL community, ensuring their freedoms and equal protection under the law.

VIEW THE POLICY AGENDA IN FULL HERE

Black LGBTQ+/SGL Americans represent a significant subset of Black families, with over one million people (3.7 percent of all Black Americans) identifying as LGBTQ+/SGL. The community’s challenges are compounded partly by the stigma and marginalization resulting from social constructions of race, normative gender, and sexuality. In an effort to empower Black LGBTQ+/SGL people and their families, NBJC is prioritizing three policy pillars this legislative session:

1. Awareness – As opportunities for meaningful transformation of federal public policy become less frequent in this divided Congress, NBJC is prioritizing legislation with solid bipartisan support or could be passed via congressional rules. NBJC will educate and mobilize citizens to advance policy solutions that ensure our community’s often overlooked contributions and needs are considered.
   1. Those policy recommendations include passing: the Equal Rights Amendment; the Improvement of Section 230; Protecting ACA & Expanding Health Care; the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act; Every Child Deserves a Family Act; and Ending the HIV/AIDS Crisis.

2. Access: Connecting Community to Resources –Too many members of our community are unaware of the new programs funded under the last Congress – and, even more, are unaware of how to access them. NBJC will educate our community about these programs through partnerships and collaborations to ensure many more community members can access resources to increase opportunities and improve outcomes.
   1. Policies and programs already in effect include the Safer Communities Act; the PACT Act; Homelessness and Rental Assistance Programs; the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); and Same-Sex Survivor Benefits.

3. Accountability – NBJC will use our advocacy and action digital advocacy hub to ensure public accountability and to support public education campaigns around priority legislation that benefits our community but is not likely to pass under the current House Majority. It is important that our community knows about public policy that is being suppressed and that we use this term to ensure full inclusion of and protections for Black LGBTQ+/SGL people, families, and communities.
   1. The policies we will continue to fight and campaign for include: The Equality Act; The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act; The Student Loan Debt Relief Act; the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2019; and several Biden-Harris Administration executive actions.

“We’re releasing our updated policy agenda at a time when hate-fueled right-wing forces seek to use us to divide the Black community and mobilize conservatives to join their ranks. The 118th House of Representatives is being held hostage by a loud minority who care more about dangerous and divisive elite capture rather than defending democracy or unifying our nation. Our hope is that our policy approach contributes to changing narratives about the beautiful diversity that has always existed within our and all communities and increasing meaningful participation in the public policy-making process,” said National Black Justice Coalition executive director Dr. David J. Johns, Ph.D.  

If you’d be interested in speaking further with Dr. Johns about the National Black Justice Coalition’s Policy Agenda and where he sees opportunity with this Congress and through executive action, we’d be happy to arrange an interview.