Since 1970, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) has used its forums to discuss and devise plans to address policy issues affecting Black Americans, using annual themes to guide programming in a direction relevant to encouraging equity amid current political concerns.
Amid the Trump administration’s cuts to diversity, equity and inclusion, efforts to erase Black history, and policies with detrimental effects for Black people, the 2025 ALC’s theme, “Made for this Moment: Power, Policy and Progress,” aims to empower African Americans and government personnel to remain vigilant and motivate them to take action in protecting their rights.
“This year’s theme, ‘Made for This Moment: Power, Policy, and Progress,’ captures the urgency and responsibility we face as a nation,” said CBCF President Nicole Austin-Hillery. “This moment calls for bold leadership, collaboration, and action, and this conference provides the platform to make that happen.”
This year’s ALC theme will further explore how Black Americans are continuing the legacy left by their ancestors and highlight how the CBCF can play a large role in positively impacting current and future political, social and economic climates.
CBCF organizers hope the event inspires communities to make collective efforts toward changing the political landscape in a way that will ensure democracy and justice are at the forefront of lawmakers’ minds, equipping the masses with the tools necessary to build a better future.
“Next year is a midterm election year, and I hope that [the ALC] encourages folks to start thinking about how we can galvanize as a community… and make sure that we’re making the proper elections on local and regional levels, so that we can change what’s happening on the national level in the next three years,” Yolanda Raines, CBCF vice president of marketing and communications, told The Informer.
From Local Cuts to National Crises: Why the Moment Demands Mobilization
Even though D.C. Rep. Oye Owolewa’s position as a shadow representative doesn’t provide him the opportunity for CBC membership, he has enthusiastically participated in the events and programming during CBCF’s ALC week for years.
Owolewa hopes this year’s program will directly inspire Black leaders to use their influence to defend the rights of Americans living in the nation’s capital, especially in the wake of Trump’s federal takeover of the District. During this occupation of the nation’s capital, approximately 800 National Guard personnel have been deployed, with hundreds more from Mississippi, West Virginia, Ohio and South Carolina expected to join them.
“I believe these conferences are valuable in bringing Black leaders together,” Owolewa told The Informer. “With everything going on locally in D.C…. I believe it’s important for our country’s leaders to find courses of action to fight back against Trump’s authoritative actions.”
The D.C. representative also hopes that this year’s conference will push local leaders to further advocate for and protect their vulnerable communities, especially when cuts to the city’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget could jeopardize Washingtonians’ access to various resources.
“I believe it’s time for D.C. leadership to look inward to find ways to better support our working and middle class,” Owolewa said. “This year, our leadership passed a budget that kicks 25,000 working-class people off Medicaid, cut social services and largely ignored environmental investments.”
Owolewa’s concerns at the local level mirror broader threats to democracy and civil rights under the Trump administration.
Since returning to office, Trump has pledged to remove accurate American history from schools and Smithsonian institutions, claiming that teachings and depictions of Black Americans’ struggles throughout the country’s history erode critical thinking. The president also introduced the Safeguard American Voting Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which could limit voting access with its intense documentation requirements.
These proposals, alongside many others, pose a risk to the rights of individuals across the nation, dismantling historic progress in the fight toward a just future. Programming at the 54th ALC will bring these current issues and many others to the forefront.
“We’re talking about how children will have access to quality education, equitable education and education that doesn’t erase our history as a community,” Raines told The Informer. “We’re also going to talk about the ways we can protect our health and champion health equity… and democracy, especially when our voting rights and other rights are under threat.”
Inspiring Future Leaders to Take Action
As the ALC has historically pushed Black leadership to preserve Black Americans’ Constitutional rights, the conference also aims to influence future generations of Black policymakers and organizers to remain hopeful and determined to work toward a future that fairly considers everyone’s needs regardless of race, class or gender.
“I hope it challenges people to execute on bold ideas that they may have and may be afraid to do, for the sake of… equity for Black folks,” Raines said. “I hope that people walk out of all of our sessions and brain trust and issue forums with information that’s pivotal to their work, whether that be new data or new insights from CBCF. ”
Owolewa acknowledges the importance of this year’s ALC theme, considering the challenges Black communities have faced since the current administration took office. He hopes Black people across the country are properly equipped to run for and win city, county and municipal elections, ready to remain resolute in the fight to reclaim their power.
“We must prepare and fight for a better tomorrow,” Oweolewa told The Informer. “I’ve been committed to inspire the next generation to step up. I will not be in politics forever, but I know real progress will be made by passing the baton and pushing forward the next generation of leadership.”