PLBC honors five with Crystal Bird Fauset Leadership Awards

Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus    March 28, 2024 | 10:22 AM

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus
www.pahouse.com/PLBC

PLBC honors five with Crystal Bird Fauset Leadership Awards

HARRISBURG, March 28 – The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus honored five individuals with its Crystal Bird Fauset Leadership Awards today in the Capitol.

This year’s awardees are:

  • The Hon. Cherelle Parker, the first African-American woman mayor of Philadelphia.

  • The Hon. Tamika Lane, judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

  • Black Maternal Health Caucus founders
    • State Rep. Gina Curry, 164th Legislative District, Delaware County.
    • State Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, 24th Legislative District, Allegheny County.
    • State Rep. Morgan Cephas, 192nd, Legislative District, Philadelphia County.

A native of Philadelphia’s Mt Airy neighborhood, Parker is a graduate of Lincoln University. In 2005 she became the youngest Black woman ever elected to the General Assembly, winning a seat in the House. She was first elected to Philadelphia City Council in 2015, and was elected majority leader in 2020. In 2023 she was elected mayor and was sworn in as Philadelphia’s 100th mayor in January.

Lane, a graduate of Howard University and the Rutgers-Camden University School of Law, was first elected as a Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas judge in 2013 before winning a seat on the state Superior Court in 2023.

The Black Maternal Health Caucus was launched in 2023 to address disturbing trends of Black maternal mortality and morbidity and pass the Pennsylvania MOMNIBUS, a legislative package modeled after the federal MOMNIBUS legislation to change the trajectory of maternal health outcomes in Pennsylvania.

Named after the first female African American state legislator, the PLBC began the award in 2021 to honor extraordinary Black and brown women leaders in the state.

“Here in Pennsylvania, we are blessed to have so many amazing Black and Brown women in a position of leadership,” PLBC Chair Napoleon Nelson said. “It gives me great pleasure to recognize this year’s honorees. We are grateful for the steady hands they use to guide our state every day.”

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.

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CONTACT: Ryan Bevitz
House Democratic Communications Office
Phone: 717-787-7895
Email: rbevitz@pahouse.net