Auntie Maxine, T.I., and David Banner Speak Truth to Power at the 47th Annual Legislative Conference

Congresswoman Maxine Waters admonished the crowd to “get in the fight” at the 47th Annual Legislative Conference Congressional Black Caucus (ALCCBC) in Washington, D.C. This year’s theme, “And Still I Rise” is just as appropriate as it was when the late-great Maya Angelou (1928-2014) published her third volume of poetry, And Still I Rise, in 1978.

The ALCCBC is a premier conference for the who’s who in Black politics, business, and entertainment to gather every year. From students, professionals, entrepreneurs, entertainers to media outlets, activists, and politicians, each year the ALCCBC helps to set the tone and the call to action for Blacks in America. This annual event is a longstanding tradition that not only encourages and uplifts but also provides strategies that empower African Americans to do as Auntie Maxine says, “get in the fight.”

Videography: Naaman Ty Brown

Focused on real-time issues, the ALCCBC tackled the tough issues facing the Black community. Among other session topics, the conference began with the national town hall, “Fighting the Systematic Destruction of our Civil Rights” and was followed by engaging sessions like the “Financial Braintrust,” “Young Gifted and Black Braintrust,” “Hip Hop and Politics,” and much more.

Videography: Naaman Ty Brown

Although the conference focused on wide-ranging topics, the theme “And Still I Rise” resonated throughout the sessions. Overall, the sessions offered great influencers an opportunity to take a strategic pause and focus on tangible actions and strategies needed to help the Black community continue to rise and thrive despite the unrelenting challenges. The ALCCBC simply guarantees that the right people will gather at the right time to discuss plans to take action, while also holding one another accountable for dismantling racial dissidence and the disenfranchisement of Blacks in America.