Political Studies
Racial Diversity Among Top Senate Staff
Today, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies released Racial Diversity Among Top Senate Staff. The report is critical to understanding diversity among top staff in the U.S. Senate, including chiefs of staff, legislative directors, and communications directors in Washington, DC personal offices of U.S. Senators, as well as staff directors assigned to committees. Data reflect Senate…
Joint Center Organizes Letter With Over 70 Civil Rights Groups Urging New Members of Congress to Hire Diverse Staff
The Joint Center organized two letters signed by over 70 civil rights groups addressed to new Members of Congress urging them to hire racially diverse people in their personal office top and key mid-level staff positions. In the letters, one addressed to incoming House Members and the other addressed to incoming Senators, we recommended to:…
Joint Center President Talks Black Communities, COVID-19, and the Economy at Council on Foundations Public Policy Summit
At the Council on Foundations 2020 Public Policy Summit, Joint Center President Spencer Overton joined a panel entitled Advancing Equity & Building Power in Black Communities on the “intentional investments and policy solutions needed to address the injustices that have caused these long-term disparities for Black people and communities.” During the panel, Spencer said we…
November 18 COVID-19 Policy & Black Communities Roundup
President-elect Joe Biden Appoints Congressman Richmond to Key White House Role Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA) has been appointed Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. His appointment gives the CBC and Black communities generally a direct line to top leadership in the Biden White House. While in…
November 11 COVID-19 Policy & Black Communities Roundup
President-Elect Joe Biden Makes Vow to African Americans; Kamala Harris Makes History Black Vote Carries Biden to Victory: “The African American community stood up again for me,” President-elect Joe Biden declared in his victory speech. “They always have my back, and I’ll have yours.” On Saturday, several major media outlets declared Biden the winner of the presidential election. Vice…
Joint Center President Appears on ‘Roland Martin Unfiltered’ to Discuss Black Voters & the 2020 Election Results
On November 3, Joint Center President Spencer Overton appeared on #RolandMartinUnfiltered for a panel discussion on Black voters and the 2020 election results. Other panelists included National Council of Negro Women Executive Director Janice Mathis, Make it Plain Host Mark Thompson, and Republican Strategist Chris Metzler. During the discussion, the panelists accessed the current state…
November 3 COVID-19 Policy & Black Communities Roundup
It’s Election Day! Since 1970, the Joint Center has celebrated and supported the civic engagement of Black communities. If you have not yet voted, visit vote.org to learn more about how to cast your ballot today. Finger-Pointing Continues Over Delayed Stimulus A stalemate between the White House and House Democrats continues to delay a new round of…
Joint Center Senior Fellow of Diversity & Inclusion Speaks to Staff Up Congress Legislative Academy
Joint Center Senior Fellow of Diversity and Inclusion Dr. LaShonda Brenson spoke to the Staff Up Congress Legislative Academy at NALEO’s Diversity and Inclusion: Best Practices for Fostering D&I in Congressional Offices. During the session, LaShonda led a discussion on the importance of congressional staff diversity by presenting findings from the Joint Center’s research on…
Joint Center President: Senate Tech CEO Hearing is a Play to Discourage Removal of Election Disinformation
Slate just published this commentary on today’s Senate hearing featuring the CEOs of Facebook, Google, and Twitter co-written by Joint Center President Spencer Overton and Professor Danielle Keats Citron. Their bottom line: “The Senate hearing six days before Election Day is an obvious play to chill social-media companies’ efforts to remove election disinformation. The goal is to ensure…
Joint Center and GW Law Host Debate on Section 230 With Key Experts
The Joint Center partnered with George Washington University School of Law to host a debate entitled Should Congress Amend The Communications Decency Act to Address Discriminatory Ad Targeting by Social Media? Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA) provided opening remarks. Panelists included Boston University Professor of Law Danielle Keats Citron, Former Wikimedia…
Joint Center Joins George Washington University Panel on Voting Rights
Joint Center President Spencer Overton joined George Washington University Law School’s American Constitution Society panel entitled 2020 Presidential Election Event Series: Voting Rights and its Impact. Panelists included University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law Professor Josh Douglas, and Sandler Reiff Lamb Rosenstein & Birkenstock, P.C. Senior Counsel Dara Lindenbaum. They discussed “voting rights and…