The Black Alliance for Educational Options Action Fund (BAEO Action Fund) released the following statements on the election victories in District 2 and District 4 of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
“With nearly all ballots counted, on this day, Louisianans let their voices ring. Tonight, Louisianans welcomed important change and shifted the status quo of failed education policy with the reelection of Kira Orange Jones of District 2, and the election of Jada Lewis of District 8, to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Both Lewis and Orange Jones are stanch advocates for parental choice and unwavering supporters of increasing access to high-quality educational options for low-income and working-class Black families in Louisiana. With the changing tide of education in Louisiana, Kira and Jada will continue to fight for educational excellence in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The BAEO Action Fund is proud to welcome and congratulate our newly elected BESE member, Jada Lewis, and the return of our beloved incumbent, Kira Orange Jones to office. We look forward to working with them for years to come.”
– BAEO Action Fund Board of Directors
"This is a major victory for our organization in Louisiana. Just a few months ago, Black Alliance for Educational Options Action Fund was launched to supplement the work Black Alliance For Educational Options has been doing for the past 15 years. It was important for us to have additional tools in our tool box to continue the fight for underserved Black families. It's quite clear that our decision is paying off. This was the inaugural election for our 501(c)4 efforts in Louisiana, and I can assure you that the best has yet to come. We're already looking ahead to 2016. Folks across the state should look at our work in Districts 2 and 8 on behalf of Kira Orange Jones and Jada Lewis as evidence for what will come as we ramp up our efforts. We intend to be fierce and unapologetic advocates for politicians that share our values, and we will fight tooth and nail to ensure education reform isn't happening to the Black community, but instead with the Black community."
– Dr. Howard Fuller, Board Chair
Black Alliance for Educational Options Action Fund
"The Black Alliance for Educational Options Action Fund ran successful and robust digital, radio, and field operations in this election, which combined allowed us to reach over 1 million voters. That's no small task. After tonight, we're going to continue building a grassroots and volunteer driven infrastructure because we're just getting started. This is about sustainability and we are to stay.”
– Jacqueline Cooper, Interim President
Black Alliance for Educational Options Action Fund
"This was our first engagement in the electoral process and I'm excited we were successful. Black children and parents finally have a full stack and well-rounded advocacy hub for transformational education reform and parental choice issues across the state. We are proud of the fact that dozens of volunteers, many of them young, engaged with us today as we were out in the community educating voters about our candidates."
– Stacy Martin, State Director
Louisiana Black Alliance for Educational Options Action Fund
About the Black Alliance for Educational Options Action Fund:
The Black Alliance for Educational Options Action Fund (BAEO Action Fund) is a 501(c)4 education advocacy organization that actively engages with political candidates and causes that advances transformational education reform initiatives and parental choice policies that empower low-income and working-class Black families. For more information on BAEO Action Fund visit http://www.baeoactionfund.org.
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Black Alliance for Educational Options Action Fund
