WASHINGTON (PRWEB) September 24, 2014
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF) today announced the enrollment launch of a new virtual community designed to engage the public around policy issues impacting black communities. The initiative, named the Permanence Project, was announced at the opening press conference to kick off the CBCF’s 44th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC), Sept. 24 – 27.
“Today the CBCF is launching a permanent link between citizens and public policy development as it impacts African Americans.” said Representative Chaka Fattah, president of the CBCF Board of Directors. “I have faith that this virtual community will prove indispensable in our work to create a more perfect union with less disparities.”
“The Permanence Project expands our ability to connect stakeholders in the academic, government and public policy communities across the country in real time,” said A. Shuanise Washington, president and CEO of CBCF. “One of our chief goals is to create a thriving online community for productive exchanges on public policy issues impacting black communities,” she continued. “But we also endeavor to provide nonpartisan, fact-based research at a time when the nation is politically polarized.”
As part of the enrollment launch, the CBCF is recruiting one-thousand Beta testers with the goal of launching the Beta in the first quarter of 2015.
“We’re very excited to become a partner of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.’s Permanence Project—a project we see as critical to our goal of engaging young people of color to contribute to debates over policy,” said Jen Mishory, executive director and a founding staff member of Young Invincibles.
The Permanence Project is being built on a cloud-based, web platform offering up-to-date analyses and resources on public policy issues that are discussed and debated on Capitol Hill and in legislative bodies across the nation. When fully launched, the Permanence Project will feature access to reports, research materials and digital resources to enable the public to make informed decisions about public policy issues.
The site will also include regular commentary and editorials, event announcements, news, alerts and opportunities for discussion among users. Users will be able to create unique profiles and register for email notifications to receive updates and alerts. The Young Invincibles and other content providers, who have an interest in advancing and impacting black communities, will provide public policy resources for the Permanence Project.
A. Shuanise Washington concluded, “The Permanence Project is part of CBCF’s 21st-century strategy to develop leaders, inform policy and educate the public. It will engage ordinary citizens in policy issues that impact and matter to them.”
Register for the CBCF’s Permanence Project Beta online at http://cbcfinc.org/permanenceproject.
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ABOUT CBCF
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated, established in 1976, is a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy, research and educational institute intended to broaden and elevate the influence of African Americans in the political, legislative and public policy arenas.
About ALC
The Annual Legislative Conference is one of the largest public policy conferences in the country focused on issues impacting African Americans and black communities around the world. ALC attracts nearly 9,000 attendees each year and features more than 70 issue forums on education, employment, healthcare, economic empowerment, the African Diaspora, cultural events and more.
General registration for the CBCF ALC opened on May 21. Media registration closes September 1.
Visit cbcfinc.org to learn more.
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