Gov. Newsom Signs Legislation Funding Nation’s First Black Women’s Think Tank Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a budget trailer bill approving $5 Million in funding to the California State University at Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) to house the California Black Women’s Think Tank.
The California Black Women’s Collective (CBWC) Empowerment Institute will be a founding partner in the development of the policy research institution.
The legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 179, authored by Assemblymember Phillip Ting (D-San Francisco), paves the way for establishing a policy institute that will focus on improving structures and practices that impact the lives of Black women and girls across the state.
“The California Black Women’s Collective has diligently worked hard over the last year to make the California Black Women's Think Tank, the first of its kind in the nation, happen,” Kellie Todd Griffin, speaking for CBWC, told California Black Media.
CBWC in partnership with Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), is a coalition of more than 1,500 Black Women leaders throughout California.
The coalition utilizes Black women’s expertise and collaboration skills in political, community, and social justice activism to amplify their voices, knowledge, and issues throughout the state.
On June 20, Newsom signed a $308 billion state budget that helps address rising costs for Californians, tackles the state’s most pressing needs, builds reserves, and invests in the state’s future. AB 179, the Budget Act of 2022, implements funding for key priorities established by the California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC) for this legislative session, including CBWC's Think Tank.