Grassroots movement takes Orlando by storm, under mantle of women of color for Hillary
Photo special to the Outlook
Special to the Outlook
Since the primaries, Reta Jo Lewis, a former diplomat from the U.S. Department of State and a friend of Hillary’s for over 25 years, has mobilized Women of Color for Hillary (#WoC4Hillary) as a leading champion of women and families in support of Hillary Clinton’s presidency. Having served previously under the then-Secretary of State, Lewis knows first hand just how Mrs. Clinton plans to shape the national agenda, and she’s been traveling around the country for over a year and a half organizing women everywhere she goes in support of America’s first woman president.
Most recently, #WoC4Hillary hosted a standing-room only event for more than 300 women at the Rosen Hotel in Orlando, Florida. The event was a veritable “Who’s Who” of local influencers, ranging from Florida State Senator Geraldine Thompson to Vice Chair of the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee Landra Robeson to Miss America 2004 Erika Dunlap and Black Girls Rock Board Member Michaela Angela Davis. The more than 20 featured speakers during the event included key operatives from within the Hillary for America campaign, Florida State Director Simone L. Ward along Hillary Millennial Victory Council for America member Anna V. Eskamani, along with State Senator Geraldine Thompson, Florida State Attorney Aramis Ayala, Orange County Clerk of Courts Tiffany Moore Russell, Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill, and State Representative-Elect Kamia Brown.
As participants discussed the importance of elections and specifics from Secretary Clinton’s policy agenda related to her criminal justice, technology, and economic opportunity platforms, attendees got to experience first-hand what a Clinton administration might be like. Thoughtful, well organized, and strategically situated, the panelists for the days’ events each helped convey a vision of a brighter America under Secretary Clinton’s lead.
To a “ T,” not only did participants offer full-throated endorsements of Clinton, they also posited just how bad an America with Trump at the helm might be. “Black women have a long history of knowing how to deal with bigots and fools,” said Michaela Angela Davis, who’s keep it real style was a fan favorite during the event. We can’t afford to sit on the sidelines, declared Ward.
Asked about the value of these kinds of events and the purpose behind Women of Color for Hillary, Lewis said, “this isn’t just a moment, this is a movement. With Hillary, women of color have a meaningful seat at the table, and we have to take this opportunity to ensure we voice our concerns and that our votes are heard! Once Hillary is in office, we have to continue our work of making sure she’s doing what she can to address the issues so important to our families and our communities.”
To date, #WoC4Hillary has helped tens of thousands of women and coordinated hundreds of thousands of social media exposures for Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the messages she views as so central to her platform. In the coming weeks, we’ll be able to see just what impact women of color have on the election, but if it’s anything like years past, we can expect turnout will be a tremendous factor in a democratic victory. Without doubt, these women of color are ready for Hillary!
