NRAAC National Chair in Washington Meeting with RNC on Inclusion and Building the GOP
RNC Chief of Staff Jeff Larson and Head of External
Affairs Ben Key with NRAAC Nat'l Chair Dr. Jean Howard-Hill
While presidential candidate Rick Santorum and other third district congressional candidates were in Chattanooga, Tennessee for the Tea Party Liberty Forum, the National Republican African American Caucus national chair, Dr. Jean Howard-Hill was in Washington, D. C. meeting with the Republican National Committee [RNC] to discuss minority inclusion, gender equality within the party and how to reach out to younger Republicans. RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, due to his schedule was not available for the meeting. However, he delegated the responsibility of meeting and listening to the National chair's concerns to Chief of staff, Jeff Larson and head of External Affairs, Ben Key.
"After meeting with Chief of Staff Larson and Head of External Affairs Key, I am greatly encouraged that under the leadership of Chairman Priebus, we will be able to work together to create a more inclusive and stronger party. Perhaps finally we are on a road to just being Americans and Republicans without the categorizations of race and gender. We are not there yet, but at least the meeting suggests it is a start."
According to Nat'l Chair Howard-Hill, the RNC is working on an effort that will be unfolding within the next couple of months to put together a Coalition of Black Republicans. The NRAAC is expected to be among those groups.
She believes inclusion is key to the survival of the party and without it, the Republican Party will not be able to maintain a majority - especially as some Independent voters who vote Republican are now becoming less partisan leaning and tending to vote based upon issues that impact them and not any particular party.
She also addressed the need to have more women elected and in positions of leadership and more actively involved in those issues that impact them. More specifically she pointed out the recent lack of the presence of women at the Congressional Hearing on women's reproduction rights.
In addition, she pointed out that from her experience in teaching Political Science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the younger generation of Republicans are finding it harder to embrace the party of their parents. She says this is because as students become more educated and research savvy, they are able to form their own opinions on issues and need to know they have the right to have a different view, without being ostracized by the party.
"We have to let them know they too have opinions and views on issues - especially those that impact their future. We cannot do this if we are not willing to allow room for them at the table or to differ."
As a part of what she would like to see happen in the future, Howard-Hill says, "We need to keep the lines of communication open within the party at the national level and make sure that Black Republicans are involved in the process. There never should be just a few hand full or handpicked Blacks or black organizations in which the RNC recognizes and are willing to embrace - instead it should be representative of all Black Republicans."
The national chair will be working with the RNC to help identify Black Republican groups to ensure they are a part of the coalition. She also has pledged the support of the National Republican African American Caucus to work towards building a stronger and more inclusive party of people of color, as well as women in leadership and the involvement of the younger generation of voters.
The NRAAC has been around for over 12 years, and prior to this it existed as two separate organizations, the National Black Republican Women's Organization in which Dr. Howard-Hill headed and the National Black Republican Men for Change which was headed by her husband, the late Attorney Bobby Lee Hill. Both organizations began in 1987 and after the death of Mr. Hill in 1991; they were combined in 1999 to form the National Republican African American Caucus.
More information on the NRAAC can be found at:
