Birmingham, AL – On Friday, August 4, 2023, U.S. Rep Terri Sewell (AL-07) welcomed Congressional Black Caucus Institute (CBCI) and Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chairman Steven Horsford (NV-04) to Birmingham, Alabama, for the continuation of the CBCI’s “Democracy For The People” nationwide tour. Rep. Sewell and Chairman Horsford joined a comprehensive organizer training before hosting a town hall and panel discussion on the most pressing matters of democracy and racial equity in America.  

Photos and videos of the visit are available here. A recording of the press conference is available here.

On Friday morning, the CBCI hosted a mobilizer training session to educate participants on effective community mobilization, grassroots efforts, and impactful communication techniques to drive social change. 

Following the training, Rep. Sewell and Chairman Horsford hosted a panel discussion with Miles College President Bobbie Knight, Lawson State Community College President Cynthia Anthony, Interim Special Assistant to the President for Strategic Planning and Initiatives at Alabama A&M University Jackie Robinson, III, Community Activist Dee Reed, and Birmingham Urban League President and CEO William Barnes. The conversation was moderated by award-winning journalist Roland Martin and focused on pressing issues of democracy and racial equity, including attacks on Black history, the erosion of affirmative action, the state of voting rights, and the critical role of HBCUs in shaping our path forward.

Find more information about the CBCI’s Democracy For The People Tour here.