HARRISBURG, Nov. 17 – The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus this week installed officers to serve in the 2023-24 legislative session, according to Chairwoman Donna Bullock, D-Phila. “Officer selection is our first step in making sure the importance of our voices is heard in Harrisburg and across the commonwealth at what is a very critical time in Pennsylvania and this country,” Bullock said. “I feel confident that as a body we will have success in moving legislation that addresses the issues important to us, and we will work to that end with intention and purpose -- fighting for equity, inclusion and fairness.” The following members were installed as officers: Chairwoman, Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila. Vice Chairman, Rep. Napoleon Nelson, D-Montgomery Secretary, Rep. Darisha Parker, D-Phila. Treasurer, Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster Established as an official caucus in 1973, the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus was formed to empower Black legislators and to serve as an information and advocacy vehicle to advance the interests of Black, Latino and other Pennsylvanians of color. Many of the original members were afraid to meet in an open forum and had previously met in secret to establish a shared legislative agenda. Read more
HARRISBURG, Nov. 15 –The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus issued the following statement today calling on Penn State University President Neeli Bendapudi and university officials to recommit to and invest in the university’s racial justice efforts. “Many of us were encouraged by the university’s decision in 2020 to establish the Center for Racial Justice only to learn with great disappointment that those plans were recently sidelined due to budgetary concerns. The fact that this decision was made just days after a founder of the Proud Boys was scheduled to speak at the university is even more troubling. “The university’s recent actions appear to undermine, dilute and divert from the racial and social justice initiatives championed by professors, administrators and students on campus in recent years. At a minimum, the decisions have caused great division on campus. We strongly urge university officials to work with the more than 400 professors and lecturers who have signed onto a recent letter regarding these decisions and the diverse student body who deserve a welcoming campus. Together, we believe Penn State can foster an environment that invites diversity, believes in equity and implements systems for real inclusion. “As the flagship university in our commonwealth, we expect nothing less.” Read more
HARRISBURG, NOV. 15 – State Reps. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., and Gina Curry, D-Delaware, held a news conference Monday to mark Student Homelessness Awareness Week and educate the public about the prevalence of students experiencing homelessness in Pennsylvania. In the 2020-21 school year, 32,666 students in Pennsylvania schools were homeless or living without adequate housing. “It’s unacceptable that more than 32,000 of our students have recently experienced homelessness or have dealt with inadequate housing. While that number represents a decrease from previous years, it’s still too high,” Bullock said. “We want residents of the commonwealth to recognize that education provides stability and support to youth experiencing homelessness and is a key to preventing future homelessness. We need to do everything we can to support education and our students.” Out of 786 local education agencies in Pennsylvania, 713 are receiving McKinney-Vento subgrants to abate the challenges in their communities. The McKinney-Vento Act states that an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence is considered homeless. Identifying homelessness can be difficult. According to experts, families experiencing homelessness often keep their situation and circumstances hidden from friends, program staff and others. Many families say that they worry about being judged or are fearful of child welfare involvement. Read more
If you or a loved one struggle to pay your heating bills, Pa. state Rep. Donna Bullock can help. Give her a call at 215-684-3738 or go to LIHEAP.com for more information. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 27 – Yesterday at the Capitol, Reps. Aerion A. Abney, D-Allegheny, and Donna Bullock, D-Philadelphia, conducted a voting rights roundtable, joined by members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Leigh M. Chapman. The goal of the discussion was to address items that individuals need to be aware of when voting, including providing details about mail-in and absentee ballots. “Folks that are in this room and have access to the information need to make sure they don’t keep it internal,” Abney said. “We need to be pushing this information back out into our communities.” “Today, we hope to have more conversation about the parameters of voting in Pennsylvania,” added Bullock, chair of the PLBC. “As we go back to our respective communities, remind folks how important their vote is.” A recording of the roundtable in its entirety can be viewed here . Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 26 – State grants totaling more than $7.5 million will fund local projects in the 195 th Legislative District , according to state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila. “These projects are vital to the community, vital to these organizations, and securing funding for them is an important part of my job – bringing state dollars back home,” Bullock said. The funding is provided from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, or RACP, and is a grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects. The following projects have been awarded: $1 million for the 33 rd and Oxford Homeownership Program to build 11 green affordable units on vacant lots in Strawberry Mansion and for streetscape improvements like tree planting, light installation and sidewalk repair. $340,000 for Dox Thrash House through Beech Community Services to design and plan for redevelopment 2340-42 Cecil B. Moore Ave. including rehabilitation of the interior structure, roofing and stairwell construction. $1.2 million for the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site Visitors Center – Phase II for stormwater runoff and groundwater management, installation of year-round climate control in the current ticketing and museum store, and plumbing for new restrooms. Read more
PLBC NL for Fall 2022 Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 17 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas today sent a letter to the Human Relations Commission along with House Members of the PA Legislative Black Caucus and the Women’s Health Caucus, where she serves as co-chair, requesting the institution to investigate a recent incident that occurred at the Philly Pregnancy Center. The letter states that a black pregnant patient from Delaware County was harassed and scolded by a staffer who was questioning the need of a doctor’s note to leave work. “While we have made great strides, there is still much work to be done and the incident that took place at the Philly Pregnancy Center Norristown location exemplifies the reasons we are not done yet,” Members highlight in the letter. “Pregnant and birthing people in Pennsylvania should have safe places to seek and receive equitable care no matter their ZIP code, race, ethnicity, gender or income level. As shown in the viral video, that is not always the case.” The correspondence also signed by state Reps. Mary Joe Daley, D-Montgomery, co-chair; Donna Bullock, D-Phila., chairwoman and Darisha Parker, D-Phila., chairwoman of the PLBC Subcommittee on Women & Girls of Color. It emphasized the need to hold providers accountable for their interactions with patients in order to guarantee a fairness in the services they offer. The caucus also highlighted in the letter that there is an imperative to protect and expand access to care, Read more
“As we heard in testimony today, many of the biggest challenges facing our communities are rooted in race,” Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus Chair Donna Bullock said. “In order to overcome these challenges – including poverty and environmental burdens – it is imperative we address and eliminate racial disparities by changing policies and some of the flawed practices we have seen in the past.” Read more
Pa. state Rep. Donna Bullock, chair of the Pa. Legislative Black Caucus, is proud to recognize Underground Railroad Month in Pa. She says that we must never forget the stories of Black folks who were enslaved, and the stories of those who risked their lives to end slavery and free others. She's celebrating the contributions of Black Americans in our democracy and encourages others to take a moment to learn more about how Pa. played a part in the Underground Railroad. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 21 – Members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus were joined by women’s groups and advocates at a state Capitol rally to call for an end to the wage gap for Black women. PLBC Chairwoman Donna Bullock said Black women make 58 cents on the dollar compared to their white male counterparts and that Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, which is recognized every year, has moved to later in the year for 2022. The day coincides with the amount of time it takes Black women, working full time, year round, to ‘catch up’ to a white man’s salary from the previous year. “We are just now reaching the same pay that white men made last year because the wage gap got wider,” Bullock said. “It took us longer to get to this point this year. We are a little over three months from the end of this year. We’re moving backward. That is unacceptable and its far from equal. Regardless of education, experience or even geographic location, Black women continue to lag behind on the pay scale.” Bullock said the wage gap has widened significantly, as the difference in pay in 2021 was 63 cents on the dollar. “Throughout the course of a 40-year career, Black women are behind nearly $1 million,” Bullock said. “That is simply unconscionable and we won’t stand for it.” “In order to get by this institutional racism in every workplace, we need to stand up and say Read more
Recognizing the unfortunate truth that a Black woman would have to work about nine months into the next year to earn an equivalent salary to her white male counterpart, Chairwoman of the Pa. Legislative Black Caucus Rep. Donna Bullock rallied support for the cause at the state Capitol. Bullock says this year marks the first time since Black Women’s Equal Pay day has been reported, that the pay gap widened. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 21 – The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus released the following statement on comments made by state Rep. Carrie Lewis DelRosso in the House chamber today: “Today is a very significant day in the lives of Black women. It is a day when we recognize the disparity and inequity of salaries for Black women compared to white males, and how those inequities impact their families, their communities and our commonwealth, as a whole. “To state Representative Carrie Lewis DelRosso: your insensitive comments about providing ‘your help’ to get our House Leader Joanna McClinton elected to this very prestigious position were disrespectful and tone deaf. Leader McClinton is the first woman leader of the Democratic Caucus. But even more significant, she is the first BLACK woman leader elected to this position in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. “To insinuate that you had anything to do with her rise to the position of leader is beyond ludicrous and is a total disregard for everything that Black women have had to work for – twice as hard -- as our white counterparts. Leader McClinton brings hard work, determination, education and her life experiences to the position, and your arrogance to try and minimize this accomplishment for whatever reason is appalling. “There was no place for that conversation today or ever. To use a Black woman’s success to promote yourself is disingenuous and disrespectful.” Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 21 – State Reps. Stephen Kinsey and Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus Chair Donna Bullock, both D-Phila., have introduced a resolution to promote greater access and research for sickle cell disease. Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that predominately affects African Americans. The disease produces abnormal red blood cell shapes (i.e. crescent or “sickle”) that cause red blood cells to become hard, sticky, and die at an earlier rate than normal red blood cells. This can lead to serious complications among individuals, such as anemia, infections, strokes and more. There have been new therapies to address sickle cell that have greatly improved in recent years, but Kinsey said he wants it to be more accessible to low-income individuals. “We need to ensure that folks with sickle cell have access to address their medical needs, and it starts with having them covered by Medicaid and Medicare programs,” Kinsey said. “This disease has affected many Black folks for far too long, and we must make sure that they do not face any barriers when it comes to addressing this disease.” This resolution would call on federal policymakers to ensure that individuals have access to all medications and forms of treatment, as well as ensure that any new therapies are covered by Medicare and Medicaid programs. Additionally, this resolution would designate the state Department of Health to conduct a Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 20 – Members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus met with the National African American Gun Association and the House Second Amendment Caucus to discuss gun issues in the commonwealth, according to PLBC Chair Donna Bullock. “In order to get something done on gun crime and violence, we need to talk to every stakeholder,” said Bullock, D-Phila. “Though we may disagree on some policy issues, it doesn’t mean we can’t talk about the gun violence that is plaguing the commonwealth and where we can find common ground to make a difference. “Black gun owners are uniquely positioned to discuss public safety and gun violence prevention while protecting the rights of legal, responsible gun owners.” The National African American Gun Association was founded “to expose, educate, and motivate as many African American men and women to go out and purchase a firearm for self-defense and to take training on proper gun use.” It’s launch date was Feb. 28, 2015, in honor of Black History Month. Read more
Pa. state Rep. Donna Bullock, chairwoman of the Pa. Legislative Black Caucus, has seen Black, brown, low income, and vulnerable communities endure the brunt of polluters, the climate crisis and its impacts. She says that now is the time to hold bad actors accountable and address environmental justice by giving these same communities input and a voice. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 20 – Spring Garden Community Development Corp. has been awarded a $110,000 Greenways, Trails and Recreation grant to construct a multi-purpose community garden pavilion in the city of Philadelphia , according to state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila. The Greenways, Trails and Recreation Grant Program is awarded through the Commonwealth Financing Authority, an independent agency of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. “These projects are investments and are critical to our communities,” Bullock said. “They enhance the lives of our community residents and provide quality of life amenities.” The Commonwealth Financing Authority was established in 2004 to administer Pennsylvania's economic stimulus packages. The CFA holds fiduciary responsibility over the funding of programs and investments in Pennsylvania's economic growth. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 19 – State Reps. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., and Tina Davis, D-Bucks, applauded today’s House passage of their bill that would regulate how pregnant people are treated in Pennsylvania’s jails and prisons. The bill is now on its way to the Senate. The Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act, which passed unanimously, would improve visitation rights for incarcerated parents, ban shackling pregnant people and enhance restraint documentation, along with other provisions. “For years, my peers and I have been fighting to get prenatal, pregnancy and post-natal support to those incarcerated in the Commonwealth. The House passage of this act lifts my soul because it is an act of compassion,” Cephas said. “This legislation (H.B. 1419 ) would improve the quality of life for some of our most vulnerable constituents and their families. No one should be deprived of respect or be forced to risk their health or their health of their child -- and certainly not on our watch.” The lawmaker highlighted that the bill also would provide for free period and incontinence products for incarcerated individuals and would allow three days of post-delivery bonding time between mother and newborn child. “Policies need to be set on how pregnant women are treated in prison,” Davis said. “For far too long, incarcerated pregnant women have been subject to shackling, solitary confinement, full body searches by male guards and been Read more
Seeking a better Pennsylvania for all of the commonwealth’s residents is what public service is all about for me. I’ve spent the better part of my adult life seeking ‘what is better’ for my community in many different capacities. And after serving a term as the chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus (PLBC), here is what I know: listening to and investing in Black Pennsylvanians will pay major dividends – boosting both the commonwealth’s economy and social justice efforts. In August, the PLBC took to the road – to the city of Erie – to attend a series of conversations, policy hearings and listening sessions with Black business owners, clergy, elected officials and community leaders. It was meaningful to both the legislators and Black residents of Erie. A little history. In 2017, Erie was named the worst city in the country for Black Americans to live. 47% of the Black population lived in poverty, and there were other health and socioeconomic disparities. There was outcry from Erie’s Black community. For some, the report only confirmed what they already knew. Fast forward to September 2021, Erie County declared racism a public health crisis and established the Erie County Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission. Now known as Diverse Erie, the commission has been working to advance homeownership, entrepreneurship, and more among Erie’s Black residents. They are recruiting Black educators and Read more
If you are complaining about your tax dollars paying off someone else’s student loan debt, or proudly declaring that you worked hard to pay your own student loan debt, or if you were silent when billions of tax dollars paid off the debt of big corporations under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), have a seat. If you were fortunate enough to have family or someone who could save or even scrape together money for your higher education costs, by all means, count your blessings. You are not begrudged that good fortune. However, not everyone was or is in that same position. According to the Federal Reserve, the gender and racial wealth gap is significant. The median wealth of white families is 10 times that of Black families and more than 8 times that of Latinx families. A white man’s median net worth is 100 times higher than a Black woman’s. Yes, there is a cost to closing the gender-racial wealth gap. But the up-side is huge: Black women contributing to their communities through home ownership, purchasing goods and services, and on and on. So it stands to reason, Black women will benefit the most from President Joe Biden’s cancellation of student loan debt, which may explain some of this backlash. Historically, Black women have been left out of the higher education game, first by blatant discrimination and now by cost. This gender-racial wealth gap affects everyone. It affects entire communities. But at its core, Read more
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