{"id":722,"date":"2026-09-10T21:23:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T21:23:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessrelocationdigest.com\/?p=722"},"modified":"2026-09-10T21:23:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T21:23:41","slug":"carl-heastie-joins-black-legislative-leaders-in-philadelphia-for-historic-panel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessrelocationdigest.com\/?p=722","title":{"rendered":"Carl Heastie joins Black legislative leaders in Philadelphia for historic panel"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

On Thursday morning, Black political leaders from Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois and Delaware met for a conversation on the country\u2019s founding \u2013 and its future \u2013 at Mother Bethel AME Church, the oldest African Methodist Episcopal congregation in the United States.<\/p>\n

Read more Editor\u2019s note: Setting the record straight on Mamdani\u2019s lawyer<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cYour voice matters,\u201d Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton said, speaking to attendees. \u201cWhen we see the attacks nationally on our right to vote, there is a role for all of us to play now, from the wisest to the youngest.\u201d<\/p>\n

McClinton hosted the panel at Mother Bethel AME Church, which sits on the oldest parcel of land in the U.S. continuously owned by African Americans \u2013 a point speakers and church leaders emphasized against the backdrop of America\u2019s semiquincentennial.<\/p>\n

Titled \u201cA More Perfect Union: from Independence to Inclusion, 250 years of American Democracy,\u201d the panel focused on the evolution of American democracy and the key role that local and state politics play in protecting civil liberties \u2013 and was led by McClinton, New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Illinois House of Representatives Speaker Emanuel \u201cChris\u201d Welch and Delaware state House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are we, in this modern age, going to make sure that we don\u2019t see a resurgence of racism, of misogyny, of stop signs and barriers?\u201d McClinton asked. \u201cWe have to have some urgency like we\u2019ve never had in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minor-Brown, Welch and Heastie are the first Black officials to hold their respective positions, and McClinton, who took over as House speaker when Democrats took control of the lower chamber in 2023, is the first woman to serve as speaker of the Pennsylvania House.<\/p>\n

When asked about inclusion \u2013 a central theme of the discussion \u2013 Heastie told City & State that just the fact that inclusion is a topic of conversation is a clear indication that \u201cthis country is not living up to the premise of treating all people the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a reminder that we still have to work toward having this country be more inclusive and more equitable, for everyone,\u201d Heastie said after Thursday\u2019s event. \u201cThe four of us (panelists), we communicate a lot about what\u2019s going on in our states \u2026 I think these conversations take (on) a more important (role), particularly on the eve of what could be \u2013 and I know we say this every two years \u2013 the most important election of my lifetime.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more It could get easier for press passes to get revoked<\/a><\/p>\n

With much of the discussion focused on voting rights and the role of state legislatures as laboratories of democracy, the panelists stressed the need for community engagement to get people out to vote and make their voices heard through their representatives.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have 50 states and we have six Black (state House) speakers,\u201d Welch said. \u201cHow do we fight? We\u2019ve got to vote.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minor-Brown said she gets \u201cheartburn\u201d thinking of celebrating the country\u2019s 250th anniversary, knowing the country\u2019s racial history and what previous generations went through before people like herself got a seat at the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s really important that we hold ourselves accountable to \u2013 and be honest about \u2013 the fact that we have so much further to go,\u201d Minor-Brown said. \u201cYes, celebrate the wins, but understand that we can\u2019t be comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the 9\/11 terrorist attacks, panelists also spoke about the lasting impact of that day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt becomes a moment of reflection in New York, and even (across) this country,\u201d Heastie said, who added that the U.S. often sees New York City as a bellwether of the state of both politics and government competence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe often feel like the rest of the U.S. looks to us to provide leadership,\u201d said Heastie, when asked about protecting elections and voting rights. \u201cWe actually do kind of work well (with Gov. Kathy Hochul) when it comes to trying to step in when the federal government has come up short.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Back to school reading list: NYC politicos edition<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton hosted a discussion on the country\u2019s focus on independence and inclusion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":721,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[7],"class_list":["post-722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-york-state","tag-new-york-state"],"yoast_head":"\nCarl Heastie joins Black legislative leaders in Philadelphia for historic panel - Business Relocation Digest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/businessrelocationdigest.com\/?p=722\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Carl Heastie joins Black legislative leaders in Philadelphia for historic panel - 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