PLBC, Women’s Health Caucus create joint Subcommittee on Women and Girls of Color

HARRISBURG, Jan. 9 – The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and the Women’s Health Caucus have created a joint Subcommittee on Women and Girls of Color, which will bolster their legislative efforts, according to PLBC Chair Donna Bullock.

The subcommittee chair is state Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, D-Allegheny.

“It just makes more sense for us to combine the work of this subcommittee and the Women’s Health Caucus since there is so much crossover on issues,” said Bullock, D-Phila. “Representative Mayes is the right person to lead this joint committee because of her experience as a champion for reproductive rights, maternal health and other issues important to Black women. I’m looking forward to the work we can tackle in the new legislative session with this reinforced legislative body.”

“I’m honored to be named the chair of this joint subcommittee and am looking forward to working with my colleagues on the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and Women’s Health Caucus to help drive legislation that will have a transformative impact on the lives of women, girls and gender-expansive people of color across our commonwealth,” Mayes said. “With a new legislative session ahead of us, I am excited by this opportunity that continues my decades of work advocating for state policy and fighting for a just and equitable future toward a commonwealth for everyone.”

“This subcommittee will strengthen the work of the Women’s Health Caucus and its service to women and girls of color,” said state Rep. Mary Jo Daley, D-Montgomery, co-chair of the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus. “I look forward to working with this subcommittee in the new session.”

The Women’s Health Caucus is co-chaired by state Rep. Gina Curry, D-Delaware.

Established as an official caucus in 1973, the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus was formed to empower Black legislators and to serve as an information and advocacy vehicle to advance the interests of Black, Latino and other Pennsylvanians of color. Many of the original members were afraid to meet in an open forum and had previously met in secret to establish a shared legislative agenda.

The Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus is a bipartisan, bicameral caucus of legislators partnering with interest groups and advocacy organizations to develop and implement legislation and social policy that protects and respects women’s health, including the right to make private, personal medical decisions.