National Policy Alliance
Participating Organizations:
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC)
Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
Judicial Council of the National Bar Association
National Association of Black County Officials(NABCO)
National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials(NBCLEO)
National Black Caucus of State Legislators(NBCSL)
National Caucus of Black School Board Members(NCBSBM)
National Conference of Black Mayors(NCBM)
World Conference of Mayors (WCM)
Convener: Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
Statement of Purpose
From disaster preparedness and responsiveness to equitable access for quality health care, the African American community and other communities of color, both in the United States and elsewhere, are facing unique and difficult challenges in today’s policy environment. In such an environment it is crucial that those who represent these communities collaborate whenever possible in addressing these challenges.
As organizations with a common commitment to the enactment and implementation of public policies that support the needs and aspirations of the African American community, we are grappling with these challenges on a continual basis. When the opportunity arises, we seek to work cooperatively on these challenges in a manner consistent with our individual organizational missions.
Given the many critical and complex issues we confront in today’s environment, we have concluded that a more formal mechanism for collaboration is essential. Such a mechanism will enable us to speak with a more forceful and effective voice in the shaping of public policies that impact the African American community, as well as other communities of color, wherever they may be. Furthermore, given the significance of the Congressional, state and local elections of 2006 and the Presidential, Congressional, state and local elections of 2008, we believe it is important to act quickly and to focus our attention on those issues that are likely to have prominence on the policy agenda in the immediate future.
The participating organizations in this alliance seek to give voice to the 9500 African American elected officials and more than 3 million African American government employees who serve the nation. Together, these public servants represent not only the interests of the 35 million African Americans, but the interests of all Americans. For example, the 43 members of the Congressional Black Caucus represent approximately 40 million people of every racial and ethnic group. And our pursuit of public policies that serve the interests and needs of the African American community is bolstered by the certain knowledge that these policies, when successful, benefit the nation as a whole.
In forming this alliance, we do not intend to compromise the independence of our individual organizations. Rather, we recognize that the imperative of strengthening the voice of the African American community and raising public awareness regarding the importance of particular policies to the entire nation and to the global community requires that we transcend our normal organizational boundaries and seek to speak with one voice whenever possible.