FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BWA VICE PRESIDENT KIMBERLY JEFFRIES LEONARD ELECTED NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE LINKS, INCORPORATED
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Saturday, February 26, 2022 – The Black Women’s Agenda, Inc. (BWA) today announced its enthusiastic support for President Joseph Biden’s nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court. “While there are many individuals, including numerous Black women, who are exceptionally qualified to assume a seat on the nation’s highest court, Ketanji Brown Jackson comes to this moment with impeccable credentials,” said Gwainevere Catchings Hess, BWA’s National President. “She received a blue- chip education with Harvard undergrad and Law School degrees. She has demonstrated a dedication to service that has defined her from her days as a federal public defender to her current position on the federal Court of Appeals and amassed a reputation as a brilliant jurist – a consensus builder devoted to the Constitution, this country, and all of its citizens.”
Judge Jackson has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate three times, most recently in June 2021 when she was named to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Prior to that, she spent more than eight years on the U.S. District Court for DC. In announcing his selection, President Biden pointed out that “for too long, our government, our courts haven’t looked like America. I believe it’s time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications.” As a jurist, Biden pointed out that Jackson’s opinions are “always carefully reasoned, tethered to precedent and demonstrate respect for how the law impacts everyday people.” When “Candidate” Biden promised, if elected, to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court, it wasn’t to promote affirmative action,” Catchings Hess insisted. “It was to affirm that a Court charged with interpreting the law can only benefit from having access to the diverse perspectives and experiences of those the law was established to serve. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will be an exceptional addition to the Supreme Court, and The Black Women’s Agenda is honored to be able to endorse her nomination.”
Founded in 1977 in Washington, DC, The Black Women’s Agenda, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(C)3 organization that generates awareness and support for issues that secure, protect, and advance the rights of Black women and their families. BWA is comprised of 24 National Collaborating
Organizations — sororities, civic, service and faith-based — representing millions of women worldwide.
March is Women’s History Month
This March, join The Black Women’s Agenda, Inc. as we celebrate Women’s History Month. Congress first declared March as Women’s History month in 1987. Since then, every year there’s a Presidential Proclamation to announce the month and to honor women who have made a notable impact in history.
According to the National Women’s History Alliance, “In February 1980, President Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8th 1980 as National Women’s History Week. In the same year, Representative Barbara Mikulski, who at the time was in the House of Representatives, and Senator Orrin Hatch co-sponsored a Congressional Resolution for National Women’s History Week 1981. This co-sponsorship demonstrated the wide-ranging political support for recognizing, honoring, and celebrating the achievements of American women.
FEBRUARY IS AMERICAN HEART MONTH
This year, as our hearts fill with pride while we celebrate Black History Month, let us also remember to focus on our heart health. And not just on Valentines Day – the entire month of February is American Heart Month.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States and certain minority groups face a greater risk than others. Deaths from heart disease are higher in Black Americans than in White Americans and other ethnic groups, and heart disease develops at a younger age in African Americans.
But, heart disease can often be prevented when people know their risks, make healthy choices and manage their medical conditions. So this month, learn the signs and symptoms and the steps you can take to make a difference in your life and the lives of your loved ones at https://www.goredforwomen.org
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
According to The American Cancer Society, “Cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women. The cervical cancer death rate dropped significantly with the increased use of the Pap test for screening. But the death rate has not changed much over the last 15 years.” And several studies show that a disproportionate number of women that die each year from cervical cancer are Black women.
The American Cancer Society also stresses the importance of regular screening for the disease, emphasizing that, “Screening tests offer the best chance to have cervical cancer found early when successful treatment is likely.
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