**For IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Contact: Emilia.Rowland@mail.house.gov – 330.212.2065

Rep. Summer Lee Kicks Off Black History Month by Introducing Equity for All Resolution with Rep. Bowman

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16) and Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12) kicked off Black History Month by introducing the Equity for All Resolution, calling on the House of Representatives to boldly commit to making racial and economic equity a priority and uplifting the values of Journey for Justice Alliance’s Equity or Else Quality of Life Framework. 

“Growing up in a working-class family in the Mon Valley, my lived experience shows the compounding effects that economics, race, and zip-code can have as we all pursue our happiness. For too long, our institutions have failed Black folks, brown folks, and Indigenous folks by failing to adequately address how our institutions and policies continue cycles of injustice and poverty” said Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12). “On the day before Black History Month, I’m proud to be a co-lead on the Equity for All Resolution to finally change the foundations that our institutions are built upon, meaningfully acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of Black, brown, and Indigenous folks, and take meaningful steps to ensure the practices of our government center the need for transformative justice.”

“It is past time for our government and our society to center racial and economic equity in everything we do,” said Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16). “For too long, Black, brown, and Indigenous Americans have been marginalized and excluded from the conversations about the policies that most directly affect them. That’s why I’m standing with Journey for Justice Alliance and introducing the Equity for All Resolution. This resolution focuses on changing the belief systems that our institutions are built on and evolving the practices of our government and our society to prioritize the most impacted communities and focus on transformative legislation that uplifts their perspectives. On the eve of Black History Month, we are introducing this resolution to celebrate the vibrant history, culture, and struggle for justice experienced by Black Americans and to commit ourselves to a more just future for all people. Our democracy depends on equity, justice, and centering historically marginalized voices so everyone can thrive. This is an opportunity for Congress to prioritize these issues and stand with us in this fight.”

Original cosponors include: Reps. Bonnie Watson-Coleman, Nydia Velazquez, Hank Johnson, Shri Thanedar, Andre Carson, and Chuy Garcia.

Endorsing organizations include: ACOPERI, Albion’s Future, Alliance for Educational Justice, Alliance for Quality Education, Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools, Blocks Together, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Camden Parent and Student Union, Center For Popular Democracy, Check The Weather LLC, Clinton Hill Community Action, Communities One Project St. Louis Missouri, Daughters Across the Diaspora, Domain Realty, Girls Empowerment Conference, Grassroots Arkansas, Green Party of St. Louis, Holistically Speaking Dim Sum, IMAN, Indiana Environmental Clean Energy J40 Inc., Journey for Justice Alliance, Kansas Justice Advocate, Keep The Vote/No Takeover, National Education Association, Network for Public Education Action, Next Leadership Development, Northside Action for Justice, Parents Supporting Parents NY, Paterson Education Fund, People for Community Recovery, PSPNY, San Francisco Education Alliance, Stand For Schools, Step Up Louisiana, The Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition, The New Justice Project MN

The Palm Collective 

“It is time for elected officials to confront racial inequity. We have kicked the can down the road for long enough. Racial inequities poison quality of life in Black, Brown and Indigenous communities, eroding and eventually destroying the institutions that most of white America take for granted.” –Jitu Brown, National Director of Journey for Justice Alliance

“Driven by the push for self-determination and a leveled playing field for working families and their push to achieve the American Dream, we are encouraged and undeterred in our fight forward for Equity for all Americans,” said Moira Kaleida, national coalition director for the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools. “As we work collectively to ensure that every student and their family has access to high-quality neighborhoods and public schools, we boldly stand in solidarity with Rep. Bowman and the Journey 4 Justice Alliance in the commitment to achieve racial and economic equity for all Americans, and not just a chosen few.” –Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools

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Since taking office in January, Lee, who serves on the House Oversight Committee and Space, Science and Technology Committee, has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $1 Billion brought back to Western PA, including over $200 million for infrastructure, over $50 million for affordable transit, and over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs.  Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 1,600 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.

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