“Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.”  ~ Marian Anderson

The quote above comes from a woman who is known as one of the greatest singing voices of the 20th century. She was not a scholar; she was not a politician; she was not an elected official.  Yet her words demonstrate most emphatically the type of leadership we as state legislators must practice and teach. As state legislators, we come from varying walks of life. Our leadership is most ideally demonstrated through our capacity to serve the people we represent, who like us, come from diverse paths. Our style of leadership is most effective when we view our work with the attitude of the servant-leader, for it is with this approach that we can best respect and represent the people in our respective communities. 

Often when the idea of leadership is considered, we think of a single lofty position. We think of administrative and executive jobs, the political arena, corporate enterprise, and local organizations. We tend to set leaders apart. We even, at times, place leaders on pedestals far above the life on the ground. 

We are state legislators. We have been chosen of the people, by the people, and for the people. So as we go about carrying out their business, we must be ever mindful that we are serving our communities. As state legislators, we come together to create and facilitate legislation that will best serve not ourselves or an elite group, but the whole community. As servant-leaders, we must pursue our work with sensitive familiarity. We must use our leadership skills to discern where there is a need and use our awareness, our knowledge, and our sense of service to call in to play programs and legislation that will improve the lives of the people we have been elected to care for and represent.

We would do well to keep in mind the following characteristics of the servant-leader as we participate in the various meetings, lectures, and discussions. As representatives of the people, let us return to our communities with a renewed sense of purpose to become true servant-leaders.

• Listening: A servant-leader puts the emphasis upon listening effectively to others.
• Empathy: A servant-leader needs to understand others’ feelings and perspectives.
• Awareness: A servant-leader understands his or her values and feelings, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Conceptualization: A servant-leader needs to integrate present realities and future possibilities.
• Foresight: A servant-leader needs to have a well-developed sense of intuition about how the past, present, and future are connected.
• Stewardship: A servant-leader is a steward who holds an organization’s resources in trust for the greater good.
• Commitment to the growth of people: A servant-leader is responsible for serving the needs of others.
• Building community: A servant-leader helps create a sense of community among people.

It appears that we live in a time where we communicate with each other more than ever before in American history. Yet, current events locally and nationally illustrate that many people are only hearing, not listening. Still others are not truly relating to or understanding the challenges being faced by their friends and neighbors. Most importantly, we so often may sympathize but we do not empathize when it comes to the experiences of others. There is a world of difference. As legislators, we are at a loss if we do not sincerely listen to the concerns of the people we work for in carrying out their faith in our abilities to best represent them. As members of NBCSL, we are all acutely aware of the anguish experienced by many of the people we represent due to a lack of affordable housing, jobs, chronic health problems, and other issues.  

As legislators, being aware of present issues of concern will grant us the foresight to plan ahead and establish legislation that will still be worthwhile in the face of change. The ability to foresee goes hand in hand with our capacity to develop appropriate policies to serve our fellow citizens. We must continue to hone our craft and sharpen our skills in determining, discerning, and developing as we go about the business of leading through service.

Let us continue to take the lead in building and sustaining community. Let us take the lead in demonstrating our sincerest commitment to serving the people who have elected us to safeguard their interests as American citizens.

This edition of The Legislator is dedicated to a segment of America’s population that touches the hearts and minds of us all – our youth.  Across our great nation, children are embarking on a new journey with fresh opportunities as they head back to school classrooms and institutions of higher learning. Many will face opportunities for growth in healthy environments that help our young people to succeed.  Whether from the fields of liberal arts, business, science, technology, medicine or education, many will prepare to contribute to their neighborhoods, and to the society at-large.

While there are many stories of success throughout the youth population, every day in America, millions of African American young people wake up to face another day of uncertainty, and in many cases, hopelessness.  They are in a state of crisis, and it is going unchecked.

We all know that state and federal prisons are overflowing with African American males who have been incarcerated for a variety of crimes while the juvenile justice population is exploding with black girls representing the fastest growing segment.  There are a variety of factors that contribute to this dismal situation and certainly one of them is poverty.  It’s 2014 and over 40 percent of African American children live in poverty. The majority of African American babies in this country are born to single mothers. Many of these mothers and fathers are under the age of eighteen. They, too, are in fact our youth as well. The difficulties involved in any parent(s) raising a child are immediately accelerated when the parent not only lacks financial means, but is also in the process of developing the maturity needed to effectively raise a child to be a decent student and citizen. We must do more to examine the steps we can take to inspire our youth to have dreams, goals, and plans which will dissuade them from wanting to have children while they are still children themselves. In short, we must find ways to educate entire families from the oldest to the youngest with the hope of ushering in a way of thinking and believing, which encourages all involved to strive for education and preparation before parenthood. Like it or not, much of what we see as problematic areas with our youth is the result of what we used to call a lack of “home training,” which nowadays appears to span generations of ineffective parenting.  Accomplishing such a revolution in thought may very well be one of the main challenges of the 21^st century. Yet, colleagues, we must be vigilant and determined in doing our part to bring about positive change in this area if we are to safeguard our youth, our family structure, and our future.

Unquestionably, a game changer for our youth should be education, but even in the education system we are seeing disparities that impact our young people.  Consider the facts:  African American youth are suspended and expelled from schools at a rate three times greater than white students.  Almost 20 percent of African American boys and 12 percent of African American girls are suspended from public schools each year.  By age 25, almost 15 percent of African American young people drop out of high school without a diploma or any hope of continuing their education.  Many of them turn to crime.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are sobering.  In 2008, black youths who made up 16 percent of America’s youth population, accounted for over half of the juvenile violent crime arrests including homicide and robbery.  In 2012, gun violence was the number one cause of death for black children and teenagers.  Homicide is the leading cause of death in 2014 for young black men who are six times more likely to die from homicide than white men. 

With respect to the financial strains inherent in single parenting, it can be very difficult for these, oftentimes adolescent mothers to provide food, shelter, clothing and the mature parental guidance needed to steer a child away from gangs while struggling to make ends meet.  And it is not just gangs that pose danger: drugs, alcohol, and premature sexual experiences also contribute to a dangerous environment.

These are only some of the problems affecting African American youth, and talking will not save our babies.  As state legislators, we need to work with our faith leaders, businesses, state and local governments, schools, colleges, parents, and young people to create a plan we can implement to save, not only children of color, but all children – period. 

Representative Joe Armstrong (TN)
President, National Black Caucus of State Legislators

One of the most significant pieces of public policy I have ever seen in my legislative career is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Despite its current implementation in Tennessee and other states, some Americans still do not agree with this law. Discontent is apparent, and a firestorm of political backlash has resulted. Furthermore, some members of Congress, displeased with their inability to derail the ACA, recently thwarted budget talks and shut down the federal government for 16 days. Millions of Americans, particularly those in communities of color, were harmed by these actions.

As the ACA rolls out, challenges continue to arise. However, we must not be discouraged. American history shows us this is not the first time that legislation aimed at improving the social status, economic vitality, and/or political progress of all Americans has passed amidst controversy.

When the Social Security Act (SSA) was initially signed into law in 1935 there was political pushback. The debate centered on the text of the law and several of its provisions. Similar to the ACA, the original SSA was a broad-sweeping, omnibus bill containing 11 titles authorizing seven distinct programs. They included the nation’s first unemployment compensation program, aid to the states for various health and welfare programs, and the Aid to Dependent Children program.

Liberals and members of the Democratic party felt the law did not go far enough to help citizens and was discriminatory—nearly two-thirds of all working African Americans and just over half of all working women were not originally covered by the SSA. Conservatives viewed it as a socialist policy doomed to fail. The SSA was eventually amended to include Medicare and Medicaid, and to expand beneficiaries to include all working African Americans and women. To date, Social Security serves as a strong safety net for us all and almost 50% of African-American beneficiaries rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their income.

In the wake of recent events, we also cannot forget our racial history and the conflict around policies and programs passed to advance civil and human rights. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 are two examples of legislation enacted to curtail discrimination, increase access, and improve the lives of minorities and women in this great nation. The 1960s was a period of intense activity. Laypersons and local elected officials alike became national flag bearers for justice and advocating for the law, while others questioned their purpose and passage (and still do today). Although parity has yet to be achieved, great strides have been made to improve the social status of African Americans and all minorities in the U.S. since bill passage. We celebrate these accomplishments through commemorative events such as those just held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington. 

The Executive Orders that established Affirmative Action programs in 1961 and 1965 were just as controversial and fervently opposed as The Women’s Suffrage Movement had been two generations before when the 19th Amendment was finally signed into law. Nevertheless, both were then and still remain imperative social policies. Besides showing us that the American public policy process is wrought with instances of political dissention, these examples collectively represent social justice and triumph. Each a piece of landmark legislation in its own right, they faced political adversity, and won. 

NBCSL members have played a role in preserving these policy victories, fighting any efforts to undermine or weaken laws and policies that were centuries overdue. Often at the vanguard of our nation’s journey to protect the rights of all Americans, NBCSL is dedicated to providing a voice for the under-represented and disenfranchised and supporting policies that directly improve upon their everyday lives. 

We must remain steadfast in these fights and weather the storm. There are several pieces of legislation that cross our desks throughout our time in the Statehouse. We determine the ultimate impact these policies will have on our communities.  In other words, the fate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is on us.  

History shows us that “their” dissention will not impede upon “our” progress. 

Onward and Upward.


Representative Joe Armstrong (TN)
President, National Black Caucus of State Legislators

Every time I see another spike in gas prices, I get concerned. Choosing between a bag of groceries and a tank of gas is never easy for anyone, especially when trying to make ends meet. I feel the same way when I read about transit fare increases or reduced routes for public transportation. For many, these changes can mean not getting to work on time or not arriving at all. 

Energy, transportation, and environment (ETE) issues have emerged as some of the most important civil rights concerns of our time. Several studies have shown that communities of color and low-income families are particularly impacted. For example, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation reported that Black Americans “disproportionately bear” the health and economic effects of climate change due to issues such as poor air quality and infectious disease. Black communities suffer from higher levels of environmental pollutants and toxins that cause health conditions.  Low and moderate income Americans spend double the portion of their income on transportation costs compared to higher income Americans, and Black Americans routinely face fewer public transportation options and longer commute times to work, school, or child care (despite being less likely to own a car).

Even with a firm understanding of ETE issues, their complexity and scale can lead to difficult choices for legislators. Many major ETE solutions require decades of planning and development, or even longer for communities that should reap the benefit of policy decisions. From a fiscal standpoint, ETE investments often involve significant capital investments. At a time when state budgets have never been tighter, large ETE proposals are easy targets. When our constituents face immediate needs like unemployment benefits, tax relief, or new schools, it becomes that much tougher to stand up for long-term ETE investments that can blow a hole through a carefully crafted budget, even if they result in major savings down the road.

Furthermore, these fiscal issues are compounded when our colleagues in Washington delay federal resources or pursue “one-size-fits-all” ETE laws and regulations. We find ourselves at an intergovernmental crossroads in ETE policy—balancing state sovereignty with important federal oversight.

Despite these challenges, ETE issues remain of critical importance, and NBCSL members have been at the forefront of these policies across the nation. As a body, NBCSL has ratified several ETE resolutions that get at the heart of issues our communities face. Since 2008, these 18 resolutions have ranged from tackling climate change, to developing a diverse portfolio of domestic energy sources, to improving our transportation infrastructure.  The common thread of these resolutions is to ensure that all Americans are able to fully benefit from ETE polices that are safe, sustainable, and cost-efficient. NBCSL also recognizes that successful ETE policies are important engines of job creation, which if properly deployed, can lead to thousands of well-paying American jobs in communities of color. Finally, NBCSL resolutions call for collaboration and cooperation between federal and state lawmakers, so that we may together develop ETE polices that are in the best interest of consumers and job creators, alike, while guaranteeing the strongest protections for vulnerable Americans.

As a whole, NBCSL’s resolutions demonstrate the need for action in our states. Energy, transportation, and environmental troubles continue to plague our communities, and as Black state lawmakers, we must vigilantly address the distinct and emerging problems our constituents face.

ETE policies are not always easy or popular, but they are the engines that propel our nation. As such, it is important that Black state legislators work to ensure these policies promote fairness, equity, and opportunity for our communities.  We must take time to fully discuss ETE policies in our statehouses, explain the details to our fellow lawmakers, and find the best solutions for our constituents.  As with most topics there is no quick fix, but through supporting each other, sharing best practices, and working together, NBCSL members can stay ahead of the curve.