Last Tuesday was a historic day for Black women fighting for justice! Voters turned all the way out in Jefferson County, a mostly Democratic county in Birmingham, Alabama, which led to nine Black female judges being elected! Javan Patton, Debra Bennett Winston, Shera Craig Grant, Nakita “Niki” Perryman Blocton, Tamara Harris Johnson, Elisabeth French, Agnes Chappell, Brendette Brown Green and Annetta Verin won uncontested and will be sworn-in in January!
Birmingham attorney Emory Anthony is a former president of the Jefferson County Progressive Democratic Council and spoke of how proud he was of the voter turn out with the Birmingham Times.
“I just think it’s great. Jefferson County is a majority Democratic County. They turn out to vote, they’re capable of electing qualified individuals,” he said.
In addition to the nine women being elected, Lynniece Olive-Washington also made history by becoming the first African American and first woman to win the Bessemer Cutoff District Attorney’s office.
“I feel honored…that I’m allowed to be the chief law enforcement officer and I understand that I have a lot of work to do,” Olive-Washington told the Birmingham Times. “I welcome it.”
Part of her job includes creating relationships with citizens and law enforcement and it looks like she’s got a plan!
“If the police want to protect and serve neighborhoods, then the neighborhoods have to be able to receive them,” she said. “…In correlation to crime, you’re going to need both [police and residents] to deter the crime that’s going on in the community.”
While a lot of us didn’t receive the result the presidential election too well, you can see that doesn’t mean that there weren’t any small victories. The Senate picked up three women of color, Catherine Cortez Masto, Tammy Duckworth and Kamala Harris while Stephanie Murphy and Pramila Jayapal were also elected to the House.
Altogether, there will be 38 women of color serving in Congress which is a more than a few great steps in the right direction! So, be encouraged Roommates. We’re getting more representation than ever and that’s something to celebrate!
TSR STAFF: Talia O. @theclosetratchet on Instagram & @tallyohhh on Twitter!
Via: Huffington Post
