Black women from a wide array of organizations, industries, and communities across the state will convene at theĀ Georgia CapitolĀ on Jan. 13Ā for āBlack Women U3: United. Unapologetic. Unstoppable.āĀ
Scheduled to coincide with the opening day of Georgiaās legislative session, the event is being hosted byĀ Georgia Black Womenās Roundtable, GA Coalition for the Peopleās AgendaĀ (Peopleās Agenda), and other groups to harness their collective power to influence the legislative agenda and ensure accountability from lawmakers. The group will hold a press conference to release the final Georgia Black Womenās Agenda, a document developed by the women through planning sessions and surveys taken over the past six months.
āI know a lot of Black women are exhausted from fighting the same battles over and over,ā saysĀ Helen Butler, convener of Black Womenās Roundtable and executive director of the Peopleās Agenda. āBut we canāt stop now. We must continue to push for legislation that protects vulnerable populations and addresses issues impacting underserved communities and the hard-working people that make America powerful. We must make elected officials aware of our pressing issues and let them know that we are paying attention and will hold them accountable.ā
The women will attend the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus Hearing led by newly elected chair, Senator Nikki Merritt, which will address critical issues such as maternal mortality, DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and voting rights. The hearing will be followed by visits to the House and Senate Chambers to engage directly with legislators on the issues outlined in the Georgia Black Womenās Agenda. The convening will also feature a live broadcast of WAOKās new morning show,Ā āThe Wake Up with Dee,āĀ hosted by former Georgia State RepresentativeĀ Dee Dawkins-Haigler.
GA Black Womenās Roundtable is the womenās initiative of the Peopleās Agenda and the Georgia state affiliate of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participationās Black Womenās Roundtable. In March of 2025 GA Black Womenās Roundtable will take a large group of women to the 14thĀ Annual Black Womenās Roundtable National Conference where women from across the country come together to visit the US Capitol in Washington, DC to advocate on behalf of communities of color on the national level. Many of the women attending this meeting will attend the national meeting and deliver the Georgia Black Womenās Agenda to national representatives.
The Peopleās Agenda is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to year-round voter registration, education, and mobilization in Black communities throughout Georgia. Founded by the late civil rights leader Dr. Joseph Lowery, the organization is led by board chair Rev. J. A. Milner and executive director, Helen Butler. It operates with headquarters in Atlanta and offices in Athens, Albany, Macon, Augusta, LaGrange, Rome, and Savannah.