Leah D. Daughtry, founder of Power Rising and a renowned political activist and organizer, joins Dr. Vanessa Weaver to speak about the political power of Black women, and how Daughtry helps harness that power to help Black female political candidates, voters, and other Black women in her work.
 

In this Episode

·      Ms. Daughtry’s experience as the Chair of the Democratic National Committee, which oversaw the nominations of Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Joe Biden in 2020, in addition to her book For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics

·      An examination into the voting bloc of Black women, how their decision-making in their personal lives shows up in elections, and the ascendency of Black women in politics, including the election of Kamala Harris as Vice President of the United States

·      How historic and systemic racism and sexism against Black women in politics and broader American society attempt to put Black women at a disadvantage for being selected as politicians or judges, and how to rectify the problem

·      The nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson by President Joe Biden as Supreme Court Justice and ensuing conversations about her qualifications speaks on the broader issue of the assumption of Black women as being less qualified or fit to be in certain political positions due to race and gender

·      A brief introduction in Ms. Daughtry’s organization Power Rising, how it came to be in the aftermath of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, the work that the organization engages in, and how it inspires and empowers Black women to exercise their political power, whether it be through voting or running for office