Well, it is that time again. As the weather bends to the autumnal equinox, we also find ourselves in the midst of another season, an unprecedented election cycle. Since Vice President Kamala Harris announced her run for the country’s highest office, we as a nation have collectively been in overdrive. The renewed vigor was felt immediately as grassroots organizations rallied to help raise funds and awareness for the Harris-Walz campaign, and circulate much-needed information about voter rights, registration deadlines, and suppression tactics.

By this point, many of us are familiar with the success that the 44,000 women on Win With Black Women’s historic call achieved by raising more than $1.5 million in less than three hours time the day of Vice President Harris’ announcement. The efforts of the women in that virtual room are the result of countless hours since the organization’s inception in 2020. Other Black-led civic organizations have been at the helm of election cycles for decades, propelling numerous Black women, men, and people of color to the forefront of the local and national political arenas.

National Organizations Help Unite Advocates with Shared Goals

The National Congress of Black Women was chartered in 1984 with two goals: educate and engage youth in the political process and uplifting Black women in the political arena at the local, state, national, and global levels. Some of the founding members include Shirley Chisholm, Dr. Dorothy Height, and Soror Coretta Scott King. As the organization celebrates 40 years of advocacy, chapters of NCBW are thriving in metropolitan areas across the country such as Kansas City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.

Nykidra Robinson established Black Girls Vote on November 30, 2015, which would have been Shirley Chisholm’s 91st birthday. The organization’s mission is to instill in Black girls and women the significant role that their voices can and should play in the country’s political landscape. One unique aspect of Black Girls Vote is the presence on college campuses across the country. Through college-based charters, the nation’s newest voters can learn about the voting process, legislation, and policy among their peers while many of them are putting their knowledge to action for the first time in the voting booth.

Win With Black Women came into being at a critical time in our country’s recent history. In the spring of 2020, all of us looked on as Breonna Taylor was murdered at home in her sleep and George Floyd was lynched by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. While Taylor and Floyd’s untimely deaths were the latest in a long line of unjust treatment, they helped to posthumously ignite change that will go down in history. Win With Black Women was created to address the systemic issue of the treatment of Black women in the United States political system. What started with 90 women has blossomed to a network of 99,000 women committed to using their voices for overdue change.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Women Are Change Makers

While the organizations, efforts, and initiatives outlined here are not exhaustive, they are evidence of the power of Black women in the political arena. You too have the power. If you have not already, we encourage you to get involved in the quest to mobilize and educate voters in your community. There are countless opportunities to get on board with the sorority’s PAC, join an organization similar to those highlighted in this article, and/or launch your own efforts if there is a space that you feel is not fully recognized through existing avenues. Whatever you do, play your part!