About

Join us to celebrate 50+ years in supporting Black women in public leadership

Celebrating 50+ years, BWOPA is proud to have started the movement in California to promote and support African-American women in elected office.  Not only our we influencing policy changes, we are determining election outcomes.

In our efforts to ensure we increase the number of Black women and allies in public leadership, BWOPA-PAC is firmly committed to providing financial support and guidance to our endorsed candidates throughout the state of California and beyond.

Please join our collective efforts in expanding the pipeline to increase civic engagement and political power 365 days a year.

#BLACKWOMENLEAD  #BLACKWOMENVOTE  #BLACKGIRLPOWER

In the preamble of the United States constitution, our founding fathers expressed a desire to make America a “more perfect union”.  Considering the composition of the American population, “a more perfect union” would be a union that is reflective and inclusive of the people she represents. BWOPA’s Political Action Committee strives to ensure that this perfect union is realized on local, state and national levels.

It has been noted that African American women who serve in elected positions often champion issues that positively affect the entire community.

BWOPA-PAC realizes that policies affecting women and persons of color are best devised and implemented by people with a diverse set of experiences and viewpoints who are intimately connected to the communities they represent.

Consequently, BWOPA-PAC’s mission of is to:

  • Recruit African American women to maximize the involvement and participation in the political process;
  • Support and endorse candidates who reflect the core principles and values of BWOPA;
  • Mobilize to advancing a political agenda that supports economic, social and political equity for the African American community in general and women in particular.

BWOPA PAC Board Directors

Officers

  • Dezie Woods-Jones – Chair
  • Melody Walcott – PAC Administrator
  • Gwen Booze - Assistant Treasurer
  • Jayne Williams –  Legal Adviser 
  • LaNiece Jones - Executive Director 
Committee
  • Lisa Williams – PAC Fundraising Adviser
  • Anita Stearns Mayo - PAC Consultant (Non-voting member)
  • Surlene Grant - Hayward/South County
  • Kathleen Sullivan - Richmond/ Contra Costa County
  • Kula Koenig - Sacramento
  • Leslie Baranco - Stockton/Tracy
  • Cynthia Sterling - Fresno/San Joaquin
  • Simone Thelemaque - Oakland/Berkeley
  • Lisa Gauthier - San Jose