February 15, 2017 The Skanner Page 9
News
Rep. Cedric Richmond Brings
New Leadership to the CBC
By Danny J. Bakewell,
Jr. (Executive Editor, Los
Angeles Sentinel)
C
ongressman Cedric
Richmond has been
a congressman in
New Orleans for the
past six years. During
his tenure, he has ex-
perienced some of the
best and worst times in
the country and has had
a front row seat for all
of the action. Now, the
43-year-old
congress-
man has taken on a new
challenge as the new-
ly-elected chairman of
the Congressional Black
Caucus (CBC), one of the
most powerful coalitions
in the nation.
When asked why he
decided to take on this
role the congressman ex-
plained: “I have always
been interested in serv-
ing as Chair of the Cau-
cus, but over the Thanks-
giving holiday, I began
to contemplate what life
was going to look like in
the new environment of
the Trump Administra-
tion and realized that the
CBC was going to have
to take the lead roll in
ensuring African Amer-
icans have a loud and ac-
tive voice.”
The congressman felt
he was up to the chal-
lenge, and in November,
his colleagues in the
House of Representa-
tives and in the United
States Senate elected him
to serve as chairman of
the caucus.
Richmond knows that
the next two years are
going to be crucial and
that the only way things
are going to get accom-
plished
for
African
Americans and other
disenfranchised commu-
nities, is if the leadership
and members of the cau-
cus have strategic think-
ing, strategic planning
and strategic execution.
House
Democratic
Leader Nancy Pelosi
asked that all Democrats
defer to senior members
in crucial leadership
roles. Congressman Rich-
mond didn’t see this re-
quest as a deterrent from
running to lead the CBC
and ultimately becoming
chairman.
“The CBC has never
been an organization
led or deferred to by se-
niority and I believed I
was best suited to take
on this role,” stated the
three-term congressio-
nal leader; obviously, his
colleagues agreed.
As part of Congressman
Richmond’s leadership,
he has vowed to support
the Black Press and Black
media throughout the
country. He has formed
an alliance with past
NNPA Chairman Danny
J. Bakewell, Sr. and NNPA
President Benjamin F.
Chavis, Jr., to ensure that
African American media
is included and plays an
active role in sharing im-
portant news about na-
tional government with
the communities that
they serve.
Congressman
Rich-
mond is a supporter of
the Black Press and when
asked why he feels it is
necessary to take on this
challenge the congress-
man had this to say:
“Black Media and par-
ticularly the Black Press
play and extraordinary
role in getting our mes-
sage out to our commu-
nities, print media espe-
cially plays an important
role, because the Black
Press is highly regarded
within our communities
and people have a great-
er trust on the informa-
tion that they receive via
the Black Press.”
Richmond continued:
“Now that we no lon-
ger have a President
[Obama], who can or is,
willing to call a press
conference and get infor-
mation out to our people,
we must be strategic in
working with the Black
Press to get our informa-
tion and our stories to
the people.”
Congressman
Rich-
mond understands the
power and role the fed-
eral government plays
in supporting all media,
and he feels that sup-
porting the Black Press
is a key tool in ensuring
that the African Ameri-
can community is not ig-
nored in this process.
“The federal govern-
ment is the largest ad-
vertiser in the country
and for us to ignore, not
support, or cripple our
Black Newspapers would
be a travesty,” said Rich-
mond. “If we don’t adver-
tise in the Black Press we
are not taking advantage
of a way to communicate
to the millions of African
Americans throughout
the country. We cannot
allow the Black Press to
go away or be weakened
and I am committed to
working with Danny
[Bakewell Sr.] and the
NNPA to get the federal
government more active
in advertising in Black
newspapers.”
Diversity is a word that,
in today’s political cli-
mate, is thrown around
in almost every gov-
ernment and corporate
office, but rarely have
African Americans ben-
efitted from these discus-
sions about diversity.
OFFICIAL PHOTO
Newly Elected Chair Vows To Make Inclusion of the
Black Press a Key Component in Preserving Rights
of African Americans
Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), chairman of the CBC.
SHOWTIMES
The Week of
Friday, Feb. 17 through
Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017
SILENCE (R)
Fri-Thur: 2:00, 9:15
LOVING (PG-13)
Fri-Thurs: 11:25, 7:15
MOANA (PG)
Fri-Thur: 11:45, 2:10, 4:35, 7:00
THE EAGLE HUNTRESS (G)
Fri-Thur: 11:30, 5:15
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE
TO FIND THEM (PG-13)
Fri-Thur: 1:25, 6:30
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE
SPOTLESS MIND (R)
Fri-Thur: 4:10, 9:25
DR. STRANGE (PG-13)
Fri-Thur: 9:50
$4.00 adults, $3.00 senior citizens (65+),
$3.00 for kids (12 & under)
7818 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97215
503-252-1707 • AcademyTheaterPdx.com
Babysitting: Available for children 2 to 8 years old. Fri: shows after 3:30pm and before 8:00pm. Sat - Sun: all
shows before 8:00pm. $9.50 per child for the length of the movie. Call to reserve a spot, no drop ins.