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| Glynda C. Carr (center) & Kimberly Peeler-Allen in discussion with Alexis McGill Johnson (Photo courtesy of Glynda C. Carr) |
By Sharon Pendana
Since 2013, Higher
Heights for America has been at the forefront of mobilizing
America’s black, female citizenry at every level of civic engagement— local,
state and national— rallying black women to not only exercise their right to
vote but to seek public office and claim a seat at the table to shape policy.
Founded by friends Glynda C. Carr and Kimberly Peeler-Allen, who share a passion
for justice and the potential black women hold to effect positive change in the
American democracy, it’s growing a network of members across the country committed
to building a political infrastructure and power base for black women.
Standouts both, Carr is the former Executive Director of Education Voters of New York, where she became New York’s youngest African American woman to run a statewide advocacy organization; and Peeler-Allen, from 2003-2014 helmed Peeler-Allen Consulting, the only African American full-time fundraising consulting firm in New York State. Poised for the upcoming 2018 midterm elections, co-founder Glynda Carr spoke with Curly Nikki about Higher Heights’ coffee shop genesis, lofty goals and the indomitable power of black women at the polls and in elected office.
Continue
Heights for America has been at the forefront of mobilizing
America’s black, female citizenry at every level of civic engagement— local,
state and national— rallying black women to not only exercise their right to
vote but to seek public office and claim a seat at the table to shape policy.
Founded by friends Glynda C. Carr and Kimberly Peeler-Allen, who share a passion
for justice and the potential black women hold to effect positive change in the
American democracy, it’s growing a network of members across the country committed
to building a political infrastructure and power base for black women.
Standouts both, Carr is the former Executive Director of Education Voters of New York, where she became New York’s youngest African American woman to run a statewide advocacy organization; and Peeler-Allen, from 2003-2014 helmed Peeler-Allen Consulting, the only African American full-time fundraising consulting firm in New York State. Poised for the upcoming 2018 midterm elections, co-founder Glynda Carr spoke with Curly Nikki about Higher Heights’ coffee shop genesis, lofty goals and the indomitable power of black women at the polls and in elected office.
Continue
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| Photo via Higher Heights website |
What
galvanized you to start this organization?
galvanized you to start this organization?
Kimberly and I weren’t looking to start an
organization. We were having coffee in a Brooklyn cafe, talking about
progressive politics, how we didn’t see black women showing up in that space,
and questioning why that was. Then we said, “Why don’t we start our own
organization for black women who are looking to be deeper engaged in the political
process from the voting booth to elected office.” We came up with the name that
day.
organization. We were having coffee in a Brooklyn cafe, talking about
progressive politics, how we didn’t see black women showing up in that space,
and questioning why that was. Then we said, “Why don’t we start our own
organization for black women who are looking to be deeper engaged in the political
process from the voting booth to elected office.” We came up with the name that
day.
I come from a politically and community-minded
family, civic engagement is in my DNA. I had a career working in non-profits,
but I volunteered for a New York State Senate campaign for Kevin Parker. It was
an opportunity for me to build community and support a candidate with
progressive issues I believed in. I worked hard on that campaign, and he
offered me to join his team. I spent six years in Albany (the state capital)
learning about how government works and the politics around governing. I
stepped out on my own and started organizing voters around public school
reform. Then in 2012 when our country was at a political crossroads, and I was
making decisions about my next steps, providence connected Kimberly and me to
fill the space that was missing for black women.
family, civic engagement is in my DNA. I had a career working in non-profits,
but I volunteered for a New York State Senate campaign for Kevin Parker. It was
an opportunity for me to build community and support a candidate with
progressive issues I believed in. I worked hard on that campaign, and he
offered me to join his team. I spent six years in Albany (the state capital)
learning about how government works and the politics around governing. I
stepped out on my own and started organizing voters around public school
reform. Then in 2012 when our country was at a political crossroads, and I was
making decisions about my next steps, providence connected Kimberly and me to
fill the space that was missing for black women.
What
compels Higher Heights’ stated goal to mobilize 1 million black women and
dollars by 2020?
compels Higher Heights’ stated goal to mobilize 1 million black women and
dollars by 2020?
In 2016, ninety-four percent of black women
voted to move this country forward and continued to be a consistent, loyal
voting block on the issues that we care about in our community. Although we did
not break the glass ceiling for women on that Election Day, black women made
major gains on the ballot. At a time when white progressives lost from the top
of the ticket to the bottom, black women broke through. We elected the largest
number of black women serving in Congress; including sending the first black
woman to the US Senate in twenty years. We elected the first black woman to
serve in the Kentucky state legislature in almost twenty years. We had a marked
increase of black women serving as mayors of major cities. In 2017, ten black
women ran in the thirty-eight cities that held municipal elections. Today,
seven black women serve as mayors of Atlanta, Baltimore, Baton Rouge,
Charlotte, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Five were elected,
and one was appointed as the second in succession upon the untimely death of
San Francisco Mayor, Ed Lee. In 2017, Black women voted 98% to move Alabama
into the 21st century. But there’s still work to be done. We wholeheartedly
believe at Higher Heights that democracy doesn’t begin and end on Election Day.
So, yes, they elected Doug Jones, but the hard work now is ensuring that when
he gets to Washington, that he is carrying the issues and the priorities–from
criminal justice to economic inequality–of the very constituency that elected
him.
voted to move this country forward and continued to be a consistent, loyal
voting block on the issues that we care about in our community. Although we did
not break the glass ceiling for women on that Election Day, black women made
major gains on the ballot. At a time when white progressives lost from the top
of the ticket to the bottom, black women broke through. We elected the largest
number of black women serving in Congress; including sending the first black
woman to the US Senate in twenty years. We elected the first black woman to
serve in the Kentucky state legislature in almost twenty years. We had a marked
increase of black women serving as mayors of major cities. In 2017, ten black
women ran in the thirty-eight cities that held municipal elections. Today,
seven black women serve as mayors of Atlanta, Baltimore, Baton Rouge,
Charlotte, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Five were elected,
and one was appointed as the second in succession upon the untimely death of
San Francisco Mayor, Ed Lee. In 2017, Black women voted 98% to move Alabama
into the 21st century. But there’s still work to be done. We wholeheartedly
believe at Higher Heights that democracy doesn’t begin and end on Election Day.
So, yes, they elected Doug Jones, but the hard work now is ensuring that when
he gets to Washington, that he is carrying the issues and the priorities–from
criminal justice to economic inequality–of the very constituency that elected
him.
We’ve seen the possibilities that exist when
you organize and engage black women in a real way. We dug down and focused on
building black women’s political power, creating a national network of black
women and our allies, and creating a space for them to be informed, engaged and
take action. There are three black women running for governor (of Georgia,
Oklahoma, and Maryland) in 2018. In our country’s 241-year history we’ve never
elected a black woman governor. Here’s an opportunity for us to break our own
glass ceiling.
you organize and engage black women in a real way. We dug down and focused on
building black women’s political power, creating a national network of black
women and our allies, and creating a space for them to be informed, engaged and
take action. There are three black women running for governor (of Georgia,
Oklahoma, and Maryland) in 2018. In our country’s 241-year history we’ve never
elected a black woman governor. Here’s an opportunity for us to break our own
glass ceiling.
How do
you plan to meet this million mission?
you plan to meet this million mission?
Claiming a million is a bold stretch for this
emerging organization, but we know that black women have an economic imprint
that can extend to our political stewardship. Black women give 25% more of
their income than our counterparts regardless of where we are in our
socioeconomic status. How do we then inspire black women to understand that
shifting just a percentage of our economic might toward political stewardship
changes the face of what democracy looks like? When you diversify those who are
sitting at decision-making tables, they carry the very issues that we continue
to fight for. The goal here is to engage the sister who gives us five dollars a
month to those Black women and allies who are willing to give us tens of
thousands of dollars.
emerging organization, but we know that black women have an economic imprint
that can extend to our political stewardship. Black women give 25% more of
their income than our counterparts regardless of where we are in our
socioeconomic status. How do we then inspire black women to understand that
shifting just a percentage of our economic might toward political stewardship
changes the face of what democracy looks like? When you diversify those who are
sitting at decision-making tables, they carry the very issues that we continue
to fight for. The goal here is to engage the sister who gives us five dollars a
month to those Black women and allies who are willing to give us tens of
thousands of dollars.
There’s a growing conversation about what it
means when black women lead. When #BlackWomenLead, you see Maxine Waters
reclaiming her time or Kamala Harris making Jeff Sessions nervous. We have been
consistently voting, outpacing our male counterparts, and doing what black women
do: when we are fired up, we don’t go to the polls alone. The black woman
voter? She brings her house, her block, her church, her sorority.
means when black women lead. When #BlackWomenLead, you see Maxine Waters
reclaiming her time or Kamala Harris making Jeff Sessions nervous. We have been
consistently voting, outpacing our male counterparts, and doing what black women
do: when we are fired up, we don’t go to the polls alone. The black woman
voter? She brings her house, her block, her church, her sorority.
Black women can trend a hashtag in a minute;
the foundation of Black Twitter is black women. This is exactly how we
envisioned Higher Heights as a vehicle. We’re going to galvanize the million
black women both on and offline with a variety of campaigns and provide them
spaces to be engaged. In our #BlackWomenVote campaign we give black women tools
like sample tweets, sample emails, a sister-to-sister conversation toolkit,
memes and things that they can use to organize their networks for this
important election cycle. We’re hosting sister-to-sister salon conversations
across this country. We’re gathering black women in their living rooms, in
their hair salons, in their nail salons, in their church basements to talk
about the main issues of concern and envision what the possibilities are to
change the outcomes for their community, and how that is tied to politics, policy,
and leadership. In 2017 we launched the #BlackWomenLead Political Leadership
Training Series of webinars for women thinking about running for office. Given
the energy and debate in conversation today, I think that we are positioned to
be the leading political voice for and by black women leading into 2020.
the foundation of Black Twitter is black women. This is exactly how we
envisioned Higher Heights as a vehicle. We’re going to galvanize the million
black women both on and offline with a variety of campaigns and provide them
spaces to be engaged. In our #BlackWomenVote campaign we give black women tools
like sample tweets, sample emails, a sister-to-sister conversation toolkit,
memes and things that they can use to organize their networks for this
important election cycle. We’re hosting sister-to-sister salon conversations
across this country. We’re gathering black women in their living rooms, in
their hair salons, in their nail salons, in their church basements to talk
about the main issues of concern and envision what the possibilities are to
change the outcomes for their community, and how that is tied to politics, policy,
and leadership. In 2017 we launched the #BlackWomenLead Political Leadership
Training Series of webinars for women thinking about running for office. Given
the energy and debate in conversation today, I think that we are positioned to
be the leading political voice for and by black women leading into 2020.
Join the #BlackWomenLead Nation by becoming a member.
To learn more, visit Higher Heights for America & Higher Heights Leadership Fund. Follow Higher Heights on Facebook and Twitter @HigherHeights
Note: Since our interview, Maya Rockeymoore
Cummings suspended her campaign for governor.
Cummings suspended her campaign for governor.
Will you sign up to become a member of Higher Heights?
Sharon Pendana is the creator of THE TROVE, author of Secret Washington DCand on a relentless quest to discover treasures, human and otherwise. Find her on Instagram, Medium, Twitter or binging on Netflix and Trader Joe’s Triple Ginger Snaps.
