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“What I’ve seen in Columbus is that there’s a disconnect,”
said Hicks Hudson, opening the July meeting. What she
explained as a disconnect is a penchant among elected and
appointed officials in Columbus to assume they know what is
best for the different locales in Ohio, even their own.
This December’s meeting was held to approve the completed
by-laws for the LCBC. She was joined by two committee
members who had assisted on the by-laws – Precious Tate, of
Youth for Change, and Candice Harrison, External
Communications Manager for Toledo Public Schools – and about
a half dozen community members who will continue to serve in
the Caucus – some as officers of board members.
Vanice Williams, assistant program officer for the Toledo
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Blair
Johnson, entrepreneur and founder of Breaking the Glass,
LLC, also assisted in the drafting of the by-laws.
The by-laws establish that the LCBC will have three points
of emphasis: Awareness; Civic Engagement and Education.
These three points are described as: “bringing awareness of
the issues that black people in Lucas County face
politically and socially;” a civic engagement of “our
community from voter registration efforts to providing
sample ballots at the polls” and ensuring participation on
all levels; ensuring “that our community as well as
membership understands the structure of government from its
branches to the duties of each office.”
The by-laws, which were approved by the group gathered at
Sanger Branch Library last Thursday, establish an executive
committee and board, set elections and nominations process
and list an officer slate.
The meetings shall be public and will be held the third
Tuesday of every month.
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