Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced Friday that she plans to create an advisory council on Black empowerment in the state.
This executive order she said she'll sign would appoint more than 30 Black leaders, including the head of the NAACP's Boston branch, to work on the panel, which would offer advice on issues related to the economic prosperity and wellbeing of Massachusetts’ Black community, according to a release from Healey's office.
She is expected to sign the order and appoint its members at the council's first meeting on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023.
“Massachusetts’ Black residents make tremendous contributions to our state, but far too often they face systemic barriers that hold them back from opportunity. Our administration is committed to bringing people together and centering equity in all that we do, and that requires ensuring that those who are most impacted by our policy have a seat at the decision-making table,” Healey said in a statement.
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The members of the council will include:
- Co-Chair: Tanisha Sullivan, President, NAACP Boston
- Co-Chair: Anthony (Tony) Richards, II, VP, Equitable Business Development, Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency
- Alfred Enchill, President, Berkshire Black Economic Counci
- Sheena Collier, Founder/CEO, Boston While Black
- Nicole Obi, President, BECMA
- Trina Martin, Vice President of Community Engagement & External Affairs, Boston Medical Center
- Rep. Bud Williams, Chair, Black & Latino Caucus
- Michael Bobbitt, Executive Director, Mass Cultural Council
- Rev. Willie Bodrick II, Senior Pastor, Historic Twelfth Baptist Church
- Pamela Everhart , Senior Vice President, Head of Regional Public Affairs & Community Relations, Fidelity
- Beth Chandler, President/CEO, YW Boston
- Sharra Gaston, Co-Founder/Co-Executive Director, Boston HBCU Alumni Network, Inc.; Deputy Chief Equity & Strategy Officer, Boston Public Schools
- Pratt Wiley, President/CEO, The Partnership, Inc.
- Denise Jordan, Executive Director, Springfield Housing Authority
- Makeeba McCreary, President, New Commonwealth Racial Equity & Social Justice Fund
- Filaine Julce-Deronnette, Vice President, Health Systems 1199 SEIU
- Che Anderson, Vice Chancellor for City & Community Relations of UMass Medical School
- Karilyn Crockett, Professor of Urban History, Public Policy & Planning, MIT
- Dr. Aisha Miller, Vice President, Related Beal
- Isa Woldeguiorguis, Executive Director, Center for Hope and Healing, Lowell
- Jha D Amazi, Principal, MASS Design Group
- Fred Taylor, Business Agent, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Worcester
- Dr. Moses Dixon, President/CEO, Central MA Agency on Aging, Inc.
- Sophia Hall, Deputy Litigation Director, LCL
- Dr. Thea James, MD, Vice President of Mission, Associate CMO BMC, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine
- Rev. Clyde Talley, Senior Pastor, Belmont AME Zion Church Worcester
- Marcelina Pina-Christian, Executive Director, New Bedford Human Relations Commission
- Monalisa Smith, Executive Director, Mothers for Justice & Equity
- John Borders IV, Director of Tourism, Sports & Entertainment, City of Boston
- Shanique Spalding, Executive Director, MA Voter Roundtable
- Rev. Dr. Gregory G. Groover, President, Black Ministerial Alliance
- Deborah Enos, Senior Leader & Advisor on Healthcare
- Bithiah Carter, President, New England Blacks in Philanthropy
