Black Europe Caucus joins US Quad Caucus

The US State Department under the guidance of Mischa Thompson, along with Lora Berg from the German Marshal Fund have for the first time ever expanded the annual Quad Caucus meeting which consists of State legislators from the powerful; Black Caucus, Native American Caucus, Hispanic Caucus, and the Asian Pacific American Caucus, to include a Black European Caucus.

This historic event will take place in Miami, Florida over the next three days.

The Quad Caucus plus one, becomes a unique space for minority legislators, activists and officers, to share ideas, support one another and ensure that policy in the US and Europe better serves minority communities.

All this of course takes place in a back drop of a global and toxic anti-immigrant debate, and the American President having no power in either the Senate and Congress, after the mid-term elections early this week.

In spite of all the challenges Mischa and Lora are extremely upbeat about the possibilities over the next few days. These two women, along with Congressman Aclee Hastings, and myself to a lesser extent, have driven a Transatlantic project through young minority leaders which over a four year period has been a fertile ground for nurturing a generation of leaders, many of whom have gone on to high office.

In many ways these next few days builds upon the success of young leaders project by making formal links with long established Caucuses, in a bid that we all work better together.

I have no doubt that the discussions over the next few days will be robust, thought provoking, and supportive.

I’m personally hoping that amongst the many things we might discuss and plan for will be a formal Black European Caucus and of course a Black British political caucus.

I’ll keep you posted.

Simon Woolley