Members of the Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus kicked off Black History Month Tuesday with a press conference in the state Capitol.
"It is a time to highlight the achievements and contributions of Black Americans," said caucus chair Rep. Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison). "As well as reflect on the important work that has yet to be done."
Stubbs and her colleagues didn’t highlight specific legislation they are focused on this session. But they did announce a series of events lawmakers are hosting this month on issues important to Black Wisconsinites. Each week will have a different theme: economic development, health, education and criminal justice.
"It is an honor to share these events and see our work and watch each of us put this forward," Stubbs said. "Together we can make Wisconsin a more equitable place for families in our state."
The Legislative Black Caucus includes nine state lawmakers. It was joined Tuesday by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who was the first African American elected to statewide office in 40 years.
"We continue to struggle against racial justice, whether that is explicit or implicit," Barnes said. "We continue to struggle, unfortunately, disappointingly, for voting rights. There’s still a struggle to be seen, there’s still a struggle to be heard, and it feels like there’s a struggle to simply matter."
Gov. Evers noted that this year, Black History Month has an emphasis on health and wellness.
"These topics are the center of our attention, especially in the context of how social determinants continue to disproportionately impact health and wellness in communities of color," Evers said.
Social determinants of health refer to how the environments where people live affect their health, for example, whether you have access to safe housing, clean water and healthy food. A 2016 report from UW-Madison gave Wisconsin a "D" grade for its health disparities between different racial and socioeconomic groups.
The Legislative Black Caucus will delve into health disparities and more during its events this month.
