African American Women’s PAC Assists Future Leaders

Los Angeles (January 3, 2007) - Recognizing that African American women needed to have an active voice in local and state politics, a group of Southern California activists joined forces to form the Los Angeles African American Women Political Action Committee (LAAAWPAC) in 1991. The group will celebrate its 15th anniversary this year, said Jackie Hawthorne, LAAAWPAC chair.

“LAAAWPAC was founded by a group of people who wanted to level the playing field for African American women interested in making a difference by running for political office,” she said.

Created in 1991, LAAAWPAC was the first political action committee formed by African American women in California for the sole purpose of raising money for candidates and ballot initiatives. The group was instrumental in attracting Diane Watson, a former ambassador to Micronesia, to run for U.S.Representative for the 3^rd Congressional District, Hawthorne said.

Other legislators that LAAAWPAC has backed include Karen Bass and Laura Richardson, who are both serving in the California Assembly.

LAAAWPAC members who will be contesting elections in the future include Wilma Wilson, who is running for a position on the Carson City council, and Linda Forster and Dr. Deborah Le Blanc, who are both running for seats in the California Assembly.

The organization has also honored several female leaders in the political and entertainment world such as former U.S. Sen. Carol Mosley Braun, Rosa Parks, dancer/choreographer Debbie Allen and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a former member of the California Assembly. Lee received the Power PAC Award which is given to an outstanding female politician for achievements in her legislative career.

Hawthorne stated that one of the major hurdles African American women face when mounting a campaign is funding.

“LAAAWPAC is a great asset because of its ability to raise money for candidates through events such as our annual empowerment luncheon,” Hawthorne said. The group also raises money by soliciting other PACs, memberships, corporate donations and selling advertising space in its souvenir booklet.

LAAAWPAC is also taking an active role in recruiting the next generation of political leaders.

Several members of LAAAWPAC created an independent non-profit organization called the Los Angeles African American Women's Public Policy Institute (LAAAWPPI), which holds public policy leadership classes once a year on the campus of the University of Southern California. “One of the goals of the institute is to expose young women to the political and public policy process and encourage those with special gifts and talents to run for elective office,” stated Joy Atkinson, program administrator for LAAAWPPI and a founder of LAAAWPAC.

Atkinson also noted that Jacque Robinson and Giovanna Brasfield, graduates of the LAAAWPPI class of 2005, are both running for political office. Robinson is contesting seat on the Pasadena City Council, while Brasfield is a candidate for a seat on the Compton School Board.