The Fresno County Democratic Central Committee has not endorsed any candidate in this race.
BWOPA Endorsement Caps Women’s History Month: #BlackWomenAtWork
At a time when prominent Black women leaders are under attack, BWOPA pushes for
CDP to go with Ellis as next Chair.
For Immediate Release
Contact: 510-560-3704
Oakland, CALIF. (March 31, 2017): Timed to mark the end of Women’s History Month, Black Women Organized for Political Action endorses Kimberly Ellis for California Democratic Party Chair – calling on all Black elected women leaders throughout the state to join them in throwing their full support behind Ellis.
“The indignities still hurled at Black women leaders demonstrate just how far we still have to go. Kimberly Ellis, like Congresswoman Maxine Waters, is someone who unabashedly speaks truth to power and will not be intimidated,” said Dezie Woods Jones – BWOPA State President.
The call to action for other Black elected leaders to join BWOPA in support of Ellis comes at a time when there has been a recent uptick in attacks of other Black women leaders, including Congresswoman Maxine Waters and reporter April Ryan, which has spawned the #BlackWomenAtWork social media movement. In response to the recent controversy and quoted in the Orange County register, Nicole Lee, former president of advocacy group TransAfrica, stated “Far too often African-American female leaders are charged with being angry, but it is really seriousness and a commitment she is exuding.”
Ellis is not immune from these lines of attacks, as evidenced by the piece in yesterday’s Desert Sun by Karen Ocamb. In the article, shared on Facebook by her opponent, Ocamb lauds Ellis’ campaign rival, yet refers to Ellis as using “odd angry rhetoric.” The article goes as far as to float the notion that Ellis has an insensitivity to the LGBTQ community, failing to acknowledge the widely known strong support Ellis has garnered from LGBTQ leaders and activists, including the unanimous endorsement of the Tulare County Stonewall Democrats.
“While the Democratic Party has talked a good game about making space for Black women in leadership, we’ve seen time and time again that these words ring hollow. Kimberly has proved to be the only candidate capable of inspiring disaffected Democrats, harnessing the collective power of grassroots activists and telling hard truths and facilitating difficult conversations around gender, race and the disenfranchisement of all underrepresented groups. This time, we won’t be left at the alter; she’s just that exceptional,” said Woods Jones.
“BWOPA has been instrumental in reaching back and bringing forward strong Black female leaders when many others have not. I could not be prouder to have this endorsement and believe, in light of recent events, it’s time for us to call out both the subtle and overt microaggressions Black women leaders regularly face. California Democrats can count on me to speak truth to power and call out bad behavior wherever it occurs,” said Ellis.
Please stay connected with our campaign online at www.voteforkimberly.com
