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Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Endorses Sen. Mamie Locke RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus today issued the following statement endorsing Senator Mamie Locke to serve as the first Black majority leader of the Virginia Senate: “We encourage our colleagues to make history by electing the first Black majority leader in the Virginia Senate. Under Senator Locke’s leadership, Senate Democrats secured the majority for two consecutive cycles for the first time in recent memory. She has repeatedly proven her fundraising prowess and this cycle raised $2 million to support Senate races. When the Democratic Party was in crisis in 2019, it was a Black woman who led through the storm to take the majority. She is a powerful advocate for Black Virginians, especially in the areas of voting rights and labor. The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus has traditionally respected the Senate’s system of seniority and has supported more senior friends when they were in leadership roles. Systems can be used to perpetuate equity or inequity. While we remain open to changing systems to better serve progress, it is both convenient and inequitable to disregard a precedent when it is a Black woman’s turn to lead. The Democratic majorities were won on reproductive freedom with women, Black voters, and workers playing a critical role in ensuring those elected got across the finish line. Black women are the backbone of our democracy and representation matters. We emphatically endorse Senator Mamie Locke to serve as the first Black majority leader of the Virginia Senate.” ### The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus (VLBC) is made up of 20 members in the Virginia General Assembly. VLBC is committed to improving the economic, educational, political, and social conditions of African Americans and underrepresented groups in Virginia. A vital part of VLBC’s mission is to raise the consciousness of other groups to the contributions made by African Americans to the Commonwealth and the Nation. With the recent election, membership is expected to rise to above 30 members.
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