Transcripts For CSPAN2 Stacey 20240703 : vimarsana.com

CSPAN2 Stacey July 3, 2024

Younger generations to get involved the public sector. The discussion was hosted by harvard university. And the director of the Public Policy center and we are honored today to have a special guest in the woman, congress and they are members of the black caucus and we are pleased to take time out of their busy schedules the day after the Congressional Black Caucus foundation and anybody knows they work hard during that time. So thank you for coming to the campus today and being with us and we look forward working with the office on getting more students in congress. Look for us outside and you can talk about being partr, of the government and making the government a better place. [applause] i want to offer a special thank you to the head of the diversity house of representatives. [applause] including in the congress the time you hear about it, we hope we can keep the office because it is very important for the diversity in the country so we are very happy to bring this forward here and i want to thank the vice president. Of contact and i want to thank our new president for joining us today. [applause] know hes been here less than a month but he took the time today to come meet the members of congress so we are going tomo do our part to work to make sure our students are ready. I need to introduce a special guest today, patricia walters. [applause] the chair of the board and whose husband was here 25 years in the Political Science department and she donated her Art Collection to Howard University and those of you who have time, students, need to find time to look at the gallery because its a massive collection and we are pleased. [applause] before we get to that, i am to bring to the podium president of Howard University the 18th president of our university. [applause] thank you so much, its an honor and a pleasure to be here with all of you and congresswoman who agreed to travel the campus and in time with i us to help us inspire the next generation of leaders here at Howard University. I was struck how every Single Person on this stage emphasizes when they started their career in publicc service, they have done so to address longstanding communities and of the the voices of those who often go unanswered. The fight for civil rights in america you look back at the legacies from the 1800s forward, he will always find that black women coordinated many of the seminal event that led to civil rights in america especially from the underground railroad and freedom rights, our women continually have been outspoken for equity and inclusion to this day standing up for the rights of marginal rates across the United States. Today wend are going to try remarkable women who continue this tradition of standing up for what is right and fighting for policies and programs that address longstanding inequity. Given our universitys commitment is no accident that two members of the house of representatives, summer lee tosh. [applause] and sheila. [applause] both are proud alumni. [applause] on also here and would love to welcome Stacey Abrams serving as an article walters chair for race and black politics. [cheering and applauding] collectively we want to thank walters, the widow of doctor ron walters Howard University which facilitated. Thank you once again. [applause] it is my hope students today will take advantage of the opportunity to think about leadership of justice. I encourage each of you to make connections with congresswoman but i want to encourage you to build strong relations amongst yourselves. They are likely to be in your lives forever so be intentional working together to help each other and reach your highest potential and leave our planet to adjust equitable future. I want to thank the members for being with us today and i will turn it over to doctor moon to make sure also congress reflect diversity that is our nation. [applause] good afternoon. Im from virginia so thank you all for having us and i currently serve as director of director of inclusion. I like to disclose my pronouns are she and her. If anybody is joining us in person or online, i like to describe myself as a black woman, im wearing an orange suit, i have clear specs and biggest hearings and brightest bracelet. Thank you all for seeing me. [applause] diversity and inclusion nonpartisan and non legislative creating and cultivating congressional workforce reflected of the american people. Serve as an essential resource and representation and professional workforce with the people in the peoples house i provide services, member services, research and Data Analytics and many are here today and they will be available to provide services to connect the government today schedulers to hr specialist, we also offer student loan repayment. This is 2600 jobs, over 1500 managers and 6400 residents, we have helped plant 730 careers. [applause] Linkedin Profile reviews and happy hour, open houses and we have connected with over 8600 and less than three years. Recruited private programs specifically designed to connect and process the workforce and its resulted in over 2500 candidates so far and 18 hispanic or latino, 12 with disability and 6 of individuals in military service. We hope to bring to communities, cities and its helped us connect 3000 jobseekers. Kicked off the White House Initiative with historically black colleges and universities is yet another example. To think the entire Diversity Team for having us today. Im more than happy to present the next generation of professionals and federal government. Its my honor to introduce Stacey Abrams with ronald w walters. [applause] she is joined by walters and helped. [applause] i know shehe told us about the 5 million but also establish a black woman in academia and she is joined by congresswoman and Howard University alumni. [applause] and represents the 20th district of florida and joined by congresswoman 30th district of texas. I like to thank her thank you for entrusting your office to make this happen. [applause] thirtyseventh district of california and then we have number we, the South District of pennsylvania. [applause] and the delta number, dont get me in trouble. [laughter] i might bein a little biased because she is my v congresswom, first black woman to serve workers in congress and represents the fourth district. [applause] now before is force. Lets thank doctor moon for her leadership. [applause] thank you so much. Im going to start with a couple of questions and go to each of you with the specific question. What was your very first job in politics . I was an organizer i did florida registration but then i was an organizer in 2016 on the campaign. I was appointed to several boards in my community so i served on Diversity Board and different words in different businesses. My first unpaid to get Harold Washington elected. [applause] my first paid position was working on for california state assembly. I was an intern in richmond and volunteered on the campaign so when it comes to politics, the first campaign, my first entrance into politics and then i wast asked to be on the Democratic Party so i ended up becoming elected, the youngest black Democratic Party in the state of texas. [applause] was your Campaign Closing . Iran three times, my first one i was identifying the change we were going through and the need for our generation especially in the state of florida and woke ideologies. When they talk about this, that meanss black, thats us so we need to stand up and understand the world was on us. Running for congress. I loved to be in a blue district and a proud member of the board so for me it was fighting for our democracy and coming out of the workbook and everywhere trying to yank to take care of our bodies and rights to vote and right to get educated so we talked about the fundamentals, the right to fair housing and generational wealth. Have you all heard of that . I liked her. One of my favorite artists. I didnt have time for a slogan. I had a long week primary so my congressman passed away and my slogan was vote on december 21 but we did break the turnout record in virginia. [applause] then my slogan was vote february 22 so we did not have time for a slogan. I had a slogan for her. Stay ready so you dont have to get ready. We went by jasmine for us, a play on United States and people like the dont get in politics essentially working for all of us they have the Civil Rights Movement and not everyone fully understood but i think people are starting to know. What was the big fight the setting wasnt good enough to fight one at a time, i needed to do more. I needed to actually change the system so it worked for all of us instead of a select few. You mentioned i apologize. My slogan was moved forward, iran in 2018, my first camping and i think it was you even know this guy . A family legacy and very present. Our particular brand of politics was what we needed in that moment. You live in the blue district, i believe indigo blue. Talk a little bit about how you navigated from states where there iss unanimity, a place tht often forced to duke to consider what you believe and how you navigate the. Ive never been in no space perpetual gas line. I come from a very far away land called california. [laughter] wewe do yoga and it came from te state legislature with the super majority so when we battled things like involuntary servitude which by the way democrats feel, we were fighting against our own. As a sense ofau security and not because often times the value is still there on a bill or budget and the republicans in the state legislature are more rational, they have to be, they are small districts in california that are maroon led. Coming here is a true culture stock. Even the performances are ugly and egregious. You are constantly navigating your right to exist and ability to correct someone in your purpose, making sure you represent your constituent and fighting for values that got you here that are necessary to protect all of us in our ability to protect. As a business p owner, we ofn hear dismissal of the role of effective politicians and we dont often hear that within the community. Can you talk about the intersection and why it is important for you with a Thriving Office . We have contracting opportunities and that was a real blockade. So it was imperative that i can use my skills as a business leader, my skill as a blacknd woman who fought to get contracts your skills and even understand how important it is to employ black people and pay them a a fair wage. Thats so imperative as we move forward and making sure we have opportunities to have Tuition Reimbursement which is not a regular language we talk in our communities. My district is a huge black community and the jobs we were bringing and brought in probably over 10,000 jobs. During the pandemic we were the largest black Women Owned Business in the entire state and the governor refused to vaccinate the black and brown community. He refused to hire us. What i say highrisk human healthcare professionals. We ended up taking out vocational schools and when out and talk people for free. Then we vaccinated them. When i saw what happened in those six months how much financial wealth went in to pick unity i said we cant stop here. So the fight or Economic Justice is a real fight and if so happy we get to position it in every single angle. Fo atchison helped her or Small Businesses but look at education to give opportunities. I sit on Foreign Affairs and even woman to contract oversight for africa and the caribbean with making sure we have prime for black companies. You and i met when you were come both in the minority legislature. And very sharp contrast be in deep blue, you often have been swimming in maroon and red. You got to Congress Just as the shifting again. Can you talk about the lessons you brought with you from navigating in the Virginia Legislature to being in congress . Sure. When i got elected to the Virginia Legislature i was a 32yearold black woman from th most democratic district in the state, and a body that was mostly white, republican men over 50. Iry very quickly figured out at everybodys political views and how they vote a shaped by the Life Experiences and what they know. So i i had to meet them where ty are to figure out why do you believe what you believe . I dont agree why delete what you believe . I had to share my life expenses and my family stories, and when you do that sometimes you find Common Ground, or at least what is equally important to find where you will never find Common Ground and youin dont waste yor energy there. You waste, youd use your energy where you can pull them closer to where you are and then build from that. And so i was able to get over 300 piece of legislation passed, and then we got a democratic trifecta for two years and you just once you get the majority you push through everything you can. I have been in the minority, had been in simple majority. Ive been in the fight of government. And that helped me here even though were in the minority again, we will get the majority but in the meantime those lessons have been very, very valuable. So to representative crockett and representative lee, im going to get you with the two youngest people sitting on the stage. [laughing] actually we are. We are. I said im guessing. [inaudible] [laughing] i was using context because you said you finished law school but you could would also , whichever one. As contemporaries who have recently been in the seats that our students are in, can you talk a bit about your transition into elected office and what you tell them if they want to stand for office . What should they be thinking about right now in the seats theyre sitting in it want to be the seat you occupy . You are closest. Im not that close to them. When i first ran for office i will be complete honest i never thought of myself as entering into politics. I never conceived it. I never considered it. Not until the very moment somebody first knesset hey, have you ever consider running for office . That was the First Time Ever thought about running for office. Part of that is because we are so used to seeing and experiencing a system that is negative, system that is harmful even, a system doesnt fit for us, system that isnt fit for us that we dont think that this is a space for us. I think if i were you in the well be about it is how can i and what can i bring thats missing in the system right now . You dont have to conform. I think the system needs you precisely as you are are yoe the experience, the perspective you have in your life. It needs that so much more than it need you to be polished, to wear a mask, that it needs you to learn how to talk like a politician or in need you to walk and talkt and exactly how you are. So when youre thinking about what do you want this world to look like, what are you trying to build . Whats with building for you and whats worth fighting for . That is your politics. Youre going to politics right now. Ily say find you are politicall, not democratic and republican, it depends. What are your politics . Whatg, are the things to keep it up at night . What youre norstar . When youre running for office, coming into the spaces these are cycling. Th theyre not built for us. If you dont have your norstar close to you you were going to drown. Whats the vindication of . Are your for racial justice, are you here for and trans rights . Are your for black liberation . Whatever that is if you for the difficult nature of the nature of racism, change the game, those are your politics, devep them. Keep them close. You dont have to be political but knoww your politics very well. Ask for your politics when youre ready to run, in the meantime find other politicians come of the candidates who share those politics and can help you develop them. [applause] see, she was ready. She stay ready. Listen, im going to say the ambitious and audacious, a lot of times its use us about ourselves. But when you look at some of my colleagues, especially on my oversight committee, i sit there and say how is it that were sitting in the same body . Ready. Im going to say, a lot of times its usual us that doubt ourselves but when you look at some of my colleagues, especially on my oversight committee, i sit there and say how is it that we are sitting in the same body . Yeah, because, you know, im going to leave it there. Im sorry not to go there. We have to save that for impeachment this week but nevertheless, dont ever doubt yourselves. Are you more than enough. This is building on what some are just saying and from a practical standpoint, you need to get everything that you can. I want you to be well prepared. As we serve in this body we know that we can make or break it for the next generation of black leaders so we take it very seriously. I serve as the little representative for my freshman class. The entire class of 35, soon to be 36 freshmen and in this capacity, im only the first black woman to be elected after Shirley Chisholm so weve not had democratic leadership that had black women, number one but number two, its really important that we make sure that there are opportunities for those that come behind us. Its one of the reasons were sitting on this stage right now. Because we recognize that what we do in this capacity can easily reflect on the opportunities you do or dont have so i want you to be prepared. Ive always told people, its cool too say i want to run for office but how are you going to prepared for that one . Number one, you have to be prepared for the run and number two, you have to be prepared to serve. Those are two completel

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