By Catherine Pugh,
Special to AFRO
Laura Hall was recently elected the serve as the 15th president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL). The decision was made at the organization’s 46th national conference, in Las Vegas, Nev.
A Democrat with nearly 30 years of legislative experience in the Alabama General Assembly, Hall has served as a community college administrator and former teacher and held several leadership positions in NBCSL. organization.
“My goal is to engage the over 700 members of our organization that represent over 60 million people and assist them in addressing their state concerns through the workshops we conduct and empower them to individually achieve their objectives as legislators,” said Hall.
NBCSL, founded in 1977, serves as a national network, advocate and catalyst for public policy innovation, information exchange, and joint action on critical issues affecting African Americans and other marginalized communities.
“While we advocate on behalf of matters facing the Black community, we also see our role as educating our younger and newer members on how to write and pass legislation in their respective states,” Hall said.
As the incoming president of NBCSL, Hall, who will officially assume her responsibilities January 2023. She says she will continue collaborations with other organizations– especially health organizations– like the Alzheimer’s Association, which presented a play at the National Conference demonstrating the impact the disease is having on Black communities and the lack of medical trials involving African Americans.
Hall says at the top her priorities is engaging “Historically Black Colleges and Universities so that we might stay abreast of the challenges they face in their states like adequate funding and becoming research institutions.
“Social and economic issues will remain a priority under my leadership as they have in the past and are indicative of the resolutions we passed during this year’s conference,” said Hall.
“I am forming a presidents’ council so that we don’t lose the institutional knowledge that former presidents of NBCSL can bring to this organization,” Hall said. “As a female president I am inspired by the many female presidents that came before me and am supported by them and our male presidents. I look forward to moving NBCSL forward.”
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