Black & Asian Democratic Caucus

Last updated
Black & Asian Democratic Caucus
Former MembersErnest Flagler-Mitchell
Sabrina LaMar
Frank Keophetlasy
Calvin Lee, Jr.
FoundedSeptember 14, 2020 (September 14, 2020)
DissolvedDecember 31, 2021 (December 31, 2021)
Headquarters Rochester, New York
Ideology Social justice
Civil rights
Website
badc.godaddysites.com

The Black & Asian Democratic Caucus was a group of County Legislators in Monroe County, New York that broke away from the Democratic Caucus of the County Legislature in 2020. [1] The claimed rationale behind the split was that the majority of Monroe County Democrats had taken their constituents in the city of Rochester for granted and it was time for them to exercise power on their own. In the time following the formation of the Black & Asian Democratic Caucus, they submitted legislation that otherwise would not have been considered. It was not an officially recognized party by the New York State Board of Elections but rather a Caucus established through a process outlined in the Rules of the Legislature of the County of Monroe. The stated mission of the Caucus was to advocate for the interests of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) within Monroe County and strive to eliminate the obstacles that structural racism has exacerbated by championing equity and equality to eliminate disparities between racial and ethnic groups. [2] Their motto was "Purpose over Party."

Contents

During the 2020-21 session of the County Legislature, Caucus members submitted legislation meant to enhance the quality of life of less fortunate residents of the county, especially in their districts in the City of Rochester. One such submission was Gantt's Law, named after the late Rochester Assemblyman David Gantt, which creates a process to ensure that minority and women-owned businesses have guaranteed consideration for County contracts and creates a directory of MWBEs. [3] Other resolutions originating with the Caucus include the Dignified Indigent Burial Act, which provides financial assistance to residents of Monroe County to help pay their last respects to loved ones, a resolution providing funding for minority-owned fine arts groups harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a local law stiffening penalties for illegal ATV use on regular streets in Monroe County. [4] [5] [6] They also supported the effort to rename the Greater Rochester International Airport in honor of local abolitionist icon Frederick Douglass, calling it the "Frederick Douglass - Greater Rochester International Airport." [7] and later provided funding for a mural to be created in the airport of a letter from Douglass to fellow abolitionist Harriet Tubman. In order to get the funding for minority-owned fine arts groups to become law, the Caucus joined with other Legislators to override a veto by Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, the third veto override that they had been a part of in the term. [8]

Dissolution

2021 Monroe County Elections

Two of the four members lost in the 2021 Monroe County Democratic Primary Elections. [9] Flager-Mitchell lost 35.1% to William Burgess, while Keophetlasy lost 23.9% to Ricky G. Frazier. Lamar ran unopposed, while Lee did not seek re-election. Vince Felder, an unofficial member, also lost his re-election bid to the legislature. Mayor Lovely A. Warren, a political ally, lost her re-election bid as well. [10]

In January 2022, Legislator Lamar would make a deal with Republicans to become the first Black woman to serve as President of the Legislature. [11]

In 2023, she would lose her re-election campaign to Rose Bonnick by more than 60% of the vote. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monroe County, New York</span> County in New York, United States

Monroe County is a county in the Finger Lakes region of the US state of New York, along Lake Ontario's southern shore. As of 2022, the population was 752,035, according to Census Bureau estimates. Its county seat and largest city is Rochester. The county is named after James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States. Monroe County is part of the Rochester, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater Rochester International Airport</span> Domestic airport located in Rochester, New York, USA

Frederick Douglass - Greater Rochester International Airport is a public airport located within the City of Rochester, three miles (4.8 km) southwest of Downtown, in Monroe County, New York, United States. It is owned and operated by Monroe County. The airport is home to the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion, part of the 42nd Infantry Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida House of Representatives</span> Lower house of the Florida Legislature

The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted in 1968, defines the role of the Legislature and how it is to be constituted. The House is composed of 120 members, each elected from a single-member district with a population of approximately 180,000 residents. Legislative districts are drawn on the basis of population figures, provided by the federal decennial census. Representatives' terms begin immediately upon their election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Senate</span> Upper state chamber of Michigan

The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, adopted in 1963. The primary purpose of the Legislature is to enact new laws and amend or repeal existing laws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louise Slaughter</span> American politician (1929–2018)

Dorothy Louise Slaughter was an American politician elected to 16 terms as a United States Representative from New York, serving from 1987 until her death in 2018. She served as the Dean of the New York Congressional Delegation for the last few terms as Congresswoman before her death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska House of Representatives</span> Lower house in the Alaska Legislature

The Alaska State House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of approximately 17,756 people per 2010 census figures. Members serve two-year terms without term limits. With 40 representatives, the Alaska House is the smallest state legislative lower chamber in the United States. The House convenes at the State Capitol in Juneau.

The Utah Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Utah. Its platform focuses on economic security, equal opportunity, the common good, and American leadership. The party also describes itself as a big tent party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Party of Oregon</span> Oregon affiliate of the Democratic Party

The Democratic Party of Oregon is the Oregon affiliate of the Democratic Party. The State Central Committee, made up of two delegates elected from each of Oregon's 36 counties and one additional delegate for every 15,000 registered Democrats, is the main authoritative body of the party. The party has 17 special group caucuses which also each have representation on the State Central Committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indiana Democratic Party</span> Indiana affiliate of the U.S. Democratic Party

The Democratic Party of Indiana is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Saslaw</span> American politician from Virginia

Richard Lawrence Saslaw is an American politician who served as Majority Leader of the Senate of Virginia between 2020 – 2024, when he declined to run for reelection. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1976–80, then was elected to the Senate of Virginia. He represented the 35th district, made up of the city of Falls Church and portions of Fairfax County and the city of Alexandria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David F. Gantt</span> American politician (1941–2020)

David F. Gantt Jr. was an American politician who served as a member of the New York Assembly from 1983 to 2020 as a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to his Assembly tenure, he was a member of the Monroe County, New York Legislature. He was the first and, until the election of Demond Meeks in 2020, only black person to represent Monroe County in the New York Assembly.

Karen Rae Tallian is an American politician and attorney who served as a member of the Indiana Senate for the 4th district from December 2005 through October 2021. She was re-elected in 2006, 2010 and 2014. While serving in the Senate, Tallian, a progressive, has supported medicinal prescription and the decriminalization of marijuana, and has authored bills in its favor. In 2015, she announced her candidacy for governor of Indiana but dropped out that same year, well before the primary season. Tallian was also a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for Indiana Attorney General in 2020, but lost the nomination to Jonathan Weinzapfel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monroe Sweetland</span> American politician

Monroe Mark Sweetland was an American politician in the state of Oregon. A native of the state, he served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly starting in 1953 for a total of ten years. A Democrat, he also twice ran and lost bids to serve as the Oregon Secretary of State and was a Democratic National Committeeman. Sweetland later served on the staff of the National Education Association, supporting passage of the Bilingual Education Act of 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1875 United States Senate election in New York</span> U.S. Senate election in New York

The 1875 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 19 and 20, 1875, by the New York State Legislature. The legislature, with a Republican Senate and Democratic Assembly, jointly elected Democrat Francis Kernan Senator. Kernan became the first Democrat to represent New York since 1851.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Bronson</span> American politician

Harry B. Bronson is an attorney and politician from Rochester, New York who serves as a member of the New York State Assembly. A former member of the Monroe County legislature, he was elected to the Assembly in 2010. He is a Democrat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katherine Clark</span> American politician (born 1963)

Katherine Marlea Clark is an American lawyer and politician who has served as House Minority Whip since 2023 and the U.S. representative for Massachusetts's 5th congressional district since 2013. She previously served as Assistant Speaker from 2021 to 2023 and Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus from 2019 to 2021. Clark was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 2008 to 2011 and the Massachusetts Senate from 2011 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tricia Farley-Bouvier</span> American politician

Tricia Farley-Bouvier is an American state legislator serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, representing the 2nd Berkshire district, serving all of the city of Pittsfield. She serves as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Advanced information technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity (AITIC) in the 193rd legislative session.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Rochester mayoral election</span> Election for mayor of Rochester, NY

The Rochester Mayoral Election of 2017 was an election to determine who will hold the office of Mayor of Rochester, New York in the upcoming term. The election took place on November 7, 2017. Incumbent mayor Lovely Warren was elected to a second term in office.

This is a list of media serving Rochester, New York, and its surrounding area.

Demond Meeks is an American union organizer and politician who currently serves in the New York State Assembly from the 137th district as a member of the Democratic Party. Meeks is the second African American to represent Monroe County in the Assembly; David Gantt, his predecessor, was the first.

References

  1. ↑ "Accusing fellow Dems of ignoring urban communities, legislators propose new caucus". WHAM. August 27, 2020.
  2. ↑ "About Us". Black & Asian Democratic Caucus.
  3. ↑ Singer, Patti (October 26, 2020). ""Gantt's Law" Would Boost Use of Minority and Women-Owned Businesses by Monroe County". Minority Reporter.
  4. ↑ "Monroe County Legislators Propose Dignified Indigent Burial Act". Spectrum News . February 9, 2021.
  5. ↑ Hyman, Andrew (May 12, 2021). "Monroe County Legislators Pass Bill to Provide $130K+ in Fine Arts Grant Funding". WHEC News10NBC. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021.
  6. ↑ Battaglia, James (June 25, 2021). "Monroe County Dirt Bike, ATV Legislation Signed into Law". RochesterFirst.com.
  7. ↑ "Rochester's Airport Renamed after Frederick Douglass". WHAM. February 15, 2021.
  8. ↑ Rafferty, Rebecca (June 26, 2021). "County Exec, Lawmakers Spar over Helping Arts Groups". CITY News.
  9. ↑ Murphy, Justin. "Monroe County primary: Ernest Flagler-Mitchell, breakaway Democrats lose in Legislature". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  10. ↑ Lahman, Sean. "Monroe County primary results: Here's who will advance to the November election". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  11. ↑ "'My voice hasn't been heard:' Monroe Co. Legislature president on crossing the political aisle". RochesterFirst. 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  12. ↑ "Monroe County Legislature President Sabrina LaMar loses primary challenge". RochesterFirst. 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.