COLUMBIA, S.C. —After years of milestone successes and achievements in the South Carolina General Assembly, and for championing numerous community development initiatives, the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus (SCLBC) received the 2022 Legislator of the Year Award from the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development (SCACED) at the association’s 2023 Legislative Luncheon on Wednesday.
SCACED’s annual Legislator of the Year Award recognizes legislators who support the community economic development industry. In 2022, SCLBC played a key role in supporting the appropriation of $2 million for the Community Economic Development Fund which provides grants to certified community development organizations. The community economic development grants support workforce and attainable housing development and preservation, small business funding and technical assistance, workforce training, and other community development initiatives.
“On behalf of the members of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus, I thank SCACED for bestowing us this honor on the 50th anniversary of the caucus’ formation,” said SCLBC Chairman Representative Ivory Torrey Thigpen. “We reaffirm our support and commitment to the work SCACED does in our communities. We too envision a South Carolina where each person has the opportunity to build, grow, and own their future.”
Founded in 1975 with 13 original members, the SCLBC currently consists of 38 members who share a steadfast commitment to improving, empowering, and inspiring minority communities across South Carolina. Caucus members support better education, quality healthcare, increased jobs, fair housing, and environmental justice. The SCLBC’s current policy agenda goals include COVID-19 response and recovery, criminal justice and law enforcement community engagement reform, broadband expansion, public education reform and expansion, increasing support and participation of minority and disadvantaged business enterprises, and affordable housing.
“We’re proud to honor the legislative black caucus for their years of consistent support for the community economic development agenda,” said Bernie Mazyck, President & CEO of SCACED. “Their consistent voice and influence in the General Assembly is an agent of change for marginalized communities across South Carolina.”
About SCACED (www.scaced.org)
SCACED is a coalition of over 170 individuals and organizations who support the development of healthy and economically sustainable communities throughout South Carolina. For over 25 years, SCACED and its members have worked collaboratively to build wealth and create economic opportunity for all SC residents including a focus on minority communities and other groups who have been left out of the economic mainstream.
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