Philadelphia, PA − February 22, 2024 – Senator Art Haywood (D-4) released a follow-up report to his 2023 State of Black PA Report. This new report lays out ten critical recommendations to improve the quality of life for black Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth. This recommendations report comes a year after Sen. Haywood’s initial State of Black PA report that detailed the black experience in the Commonwealth from 2011 to 2021.
Senator Haywood was joined by Senator Vincent Hughes (D-7), Philadelphia City Councilmember Cindy Bass, Philadelphia NAACP Branch President Catherine Hicks, Urban League of Philadelphia President and CEO Dr. Darrien Anderson, and Anthony Luker- representing the Governor Shapiro administration.
Senator Haywood said, “We all know the challenges and inequities facing the black community across the nation and here in the Commonwealth. Our purpose today is to not dwell on the negative. Instead, we are gathered here today, focused on concrete ways to make the next ten years better for Black Pennsylvanians than the last decade.”
Senator Haywood continued, “These recommendations are a starting point for crafting actions to better the lives of Black communities across PA. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the General Assembly, the Governor’s office, and our partners in the business and non-profit sectors to act, inspired by this report.”
“It’s on all of us to seize this moment and make a tangible impact for our community,” said Senator Hughes. “There’s a lot of things going in the right direction, but we can’t walk away from this conversation. We need to make resources available to Black Pennsylvanians, including for education, housing, and economic prosperity.”
NAACP Philadelphia President Catherine Hicks added, “The Philadelphia Branch NAACP is committed to making a difference in our communities. The time is now to implement new strategies and options to ensure economic and generational wealth for Black families, who continue to be the most marginalized in society. We look forward to working with Sen. Haywood and using his recommendations as a ‘call to action’ to continue to move the needle forward for generations.”
As a pivotal site along the Underground Railroad and a long-time center for social justice, The Johnson House, located in the Germantown neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia, was the perfect setting for today’s event. As we continue through Black History Month, we must think critically about what we can do to bring equity, justice, and opportunity to Black Americans and all marginalized communities.
This report will be used as a resource to craft legislation and develop policy that further supports and betters the lives of the Black community. To view the full State of Black PA Report and the follow-up recommendations report, visit SenatorHaywood.com/StateofBlackPA.
