WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, The Collective PAC — the nation’s largest political action committee dedicated to increasing Black political engagement, representation and power across all levels of government — endorsed Kendra Hicks and Ruthzee Louijeune for Boston City Council. 

Founders of The Collective PAC, Quentin James and Stefanie Brown James, released the following statement: 

“The Collective PAC is excited to endorse Kendra Hicks and Ruthzee Louijeune for Boston City Council. Mrs. Hicks is an experienced organizer, nonprofit executive and racial equity consultant who has worked tirelessly to enact change in her Jamaica Plane neighborhood. Ms. Louijeune  is an experienced activist and attorney who works with the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance to expand homeownership opportunities throughout the city and has led protests against unfair immigration practices and police brutality. Both of these leaders understand the challenges and opportunities facing Bostonians and The Collective PAC looks forward to helping them continue their work to ensure that Boston is a city that works for all and not just a few.”

Kendra Hicks (candidate for Boston City Council) is a proud first-generation Black Dominican woman, mother, wife and artist. She was born in the Bronx, NY and in 1990 relocated to Jamaica Plane with her family and has called it home ever since. At the age of 13, Mrs. Hicks discovered her calling to become a community organizer and an agent of change. For the past five years, she has served as Director of Radical Philanthropy at the historic Boston-based organization Resist and if elected to city council, will continue to work on educational equity, safe and affordable housing and environmental justice. 

Ruthzee Louijeune (candidate for At-Large, Boston City Council) was born and raised in Boston and is a product of the Boston public school system. As the daughter of Haitian immigrants who taught their four daughters the value of education, Ms. Louijeune earned degrees from Columbia University, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Law School. Ms. Louijeune has always given back to the community that helped raise her, from volunteering with Project No One Leaves that assists Boston homeowners and tenants in properties facing foreclosure to creating the program“Each One Teach One” that mentors young Haitian immigrants. As a city council member, she will ensure that everyone who calls Boston home feels a sense of belonging and that the needs of the city’s residents and businesses are met.  

 

ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE PAC 

The Collective PAC is working to create an America where Black people are equally represented at every level of government. The Collective PAC is strategically focused on creating a truly equitable democracy where our nation’s local, state and federal governments have diverse and talented elected leadership and Black people are fully represented in positions of power to create the policies necessary to progress our communities forward.

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, The Collective PAC — the nation’s largest political action committee dedicated to increasing Black political engagement, representation and power across all levels of government — announces a stellar lineup of private and public events this weekend in honor of its five-year anniversary. 

Beginning Friday, September 17, more than 100 elected officials and political candidates, as well as progressive advocates, corporate partners, cultural influencers and supporters will join The Collective PAC in Washington, D.C. to participate in several celebratory events and activities highlighting the organization’s impact and contribution to increasing Black representation in politics at the local, state, and federal level. Private events (for sponsors and invited guests) will include a panel discussion with U.S. Senate and statewide candidates running for office, a VIP reception featuring endorsed candidates and elected officials, and a non-partisan voter registration activation in partnership with BET Networks during the inaugural “Truth and Service Classic” football game at Audi Field between historic HBCU rivals, Howard University and Hampton University. 

The weekend will culminate with The Collective’s History Makers Fifth Anniversary Celebration concert on Saturday, September 18, featuring Grammy Award-winning artist Nas and NAACP Image Awards 2021 Entertainer of the Year DJ D-Nice; drinks for the event will be provided by CÎROC and DeLeón. The concert is open to the public and will require attendees to present proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the event. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster; all proceeds will go toward advancing The Collective’s mission of building Black political power.

“When we started The Collective PAC in 2016, we set out on a mission to fix the under-representation of the Black community in elected seats of power throughout the nation; as we celebrate our fifth anniversary, we are proud to say our team has helped to elect more than 250 Black candidates to office, with plans to double that number during this election cycle,” says Quentin James and Stefanie Brown James, founders of The Collective PAC. “Although we helped to usher in the most racially and ethnically diverse Congress in 2018 and 2020, particularly in the U.S. House of Representatives, we have a long way to go to increase Black representation in the Senate and state legislatures. With midterm elections just a little over a year away, we are working to protect our Black incumbents, increase turnout among Black voters, and capitalize on emerging opportunities to elect Black women to the U.S. Senate and into a governor’s seat.”

Over the past five years, The Collective PAC has grown into a network of organizations — The Collective — comprised of five distinct, affiliated entities dedicated to disrupting politics as usual: The Collective PAC, The Collective Super PAC, and The Southern Strategy are all focused on candidate work, while The Collective Future (501c4) and The Collective Education Fund (501c3) are dedicated to increasing Black voter education, engagement, and civic activation. Each of these organizations are leading the charge to create a truly equitable democracy, where our nation’s local, state, and federal governments have diverse and talented elected leadership, and where Black people are fully represented in positions of power to create the policies necessary to progress our communities forward. 

To date, The Collective PAC and the aforementioned affiliated organizations have achieved the following:

250 endorsed Black candidates elected in 38 states 

$25 million raised 

1,500+ Black candidates and campaign operatives trained via the Black Campaign School 

186,000+ voters registered in 2020 via The Collective’s Vote To Live Campaign

3 million phone calls & texts made to Black voters in 2020

$1.5 million invested in radio ads to get out the vote in Black communities

183,000 volunteer GOTV phone bank shifts organized

100,000+ free rides provided to the polls in 2020

The Collective PAC would like to thank all of its sponsors, partners and supporters – past and present – for helping the organization advance its mission and achieve this important milestone. Sponsor organizations of the fifth anniversary celebration include: ActBlue, America Votes, BET Networks, B-Code, Braven Solutions, CÎROC, DeLeón, Elias Law Group, Emerge, EMILY’s List, Full Circle Strategies, Leaders of Color, MikeWorldWide (MWW), Mothership Strategies, MoveOn, NAACP, National Democratic Redistricting Committee, Onward Together, Priorities USA, Swing Left, Swisher, The Outreach Team, Third Way, Zinc Collective/Blue Leadership Collective and #VOTEPROCHOICE. 

 

ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE PAC 

The Collective PAC is working to create an America where Black people are equally represented at every level of government. The Collective PAC is strategically focused on creating a truly equitable democracy where our nation’s local, state and federal governments have diverse and talented elected leadership and Black people are fully represented in positions of power to create the policies necessary to progress our communities forward.

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, The Collective PAC — the nation’s largest political action committee dedicated to increasing Black political engagement, representation and power across all levels of government — congratulated Justin Bibb on his primary election win for Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. 

Justin Bibb has a vested interest in helping Cleveland reach its full potential as a world class city committed to strengthening the government to make neighborhoods safer, communities healthier and the economy stronger. Inspired to make the city more equitable, he studied urban policy at American University and obtained his JD and MBA degrees from Case Western Reserve University. Mr. Bibb was born and raised in Cleveland and is ready to champion a new generation of leadership to address the city’s most challenging and persistent problems.

Founders of The Collective PAC, Quentin James and Stefanie Brown James, released the following statement: 

“The Collective PAC is proud to support Justin Bibb’s bid for mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. If elected, Mr. Bibb plans to use his knowledge of working with business leaders, community organizations and elected officials to utilize technology not only to improve services and infrastructure for residents, but also address the challenges within the city. He is committed to championing the needs of all Clevelanders and we applaud his focus on the advancement of racial equity and economic opportunity in Cleveland’s underserved neighborhoods. The Collective PAC is proud to stand with Justin Bibb as he advances to the general election on November 2nd.”

 

ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE PAC 

The Collective PAC is working to create an America where Black people are equally represented at every level of government. The Collective PAC is strategically focused on creating a truly equitable democracy where our nation’s local, state and federal governments have diverse and talented elected leadership and Black people are fully represented in positions of power to create the policies necessary to progress our communities forward.