WASHINGTON, D.C. -- African American candidates running as Greens for public office in 2006 have taken the lead on
international, national, and local issues in the 2006 races.
"African-American Greens are giving leadership in the only political party that aptly expresses the desires and aspirations
of our community. Here in the nation's capitol, the fact that an African American Green organized the city's major Juneteenth
celebration and received the full support of the DC Statehood Green Party demonstrates real Green values," said Michele
Tingling-Clemmons, chair of the Green Party's Black Caucus <http://www.greenpartyblackcaucus.net>. The 2nd Annual DC
Juneteenth Celebration and Music Festival took place Sunday, June 18 at the African American Civil War Memorial
<http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org//press/press.php?annc_id=130§ion_id=2>.
Below are many of this year's African American Green candidates; others may be added as the election year continues.
Aimee Allison, running for Oakland City Council (District 2) in California, received 39% (3794 total votes) of the vote
(nearly three times the number she received in last year's special election) on Tuesday, June 7, placing second, and now
advances to the November 7 run-off election. Ms. Allison's success demonstrates her campaign's ability to unite Greens
and other progressives, labor unions, and African-Americans in the most racially and economically diverse district in
Oakland. Her district 2 race is part of a larger movement in Oakland that is challenging the business-as-usual politics that
have put the interest of developers and corporations ahead of the people who live and work in Oakland. "The
African-American community, among others, has suffered under city policies that result in more dangerous streets, failing
schools, and gentrification. We're fighting back and we will win," Ms. Allison said.
http://www.aimeeallison.org
Rene Bowser, a labor lawyer and the D.C. Human Rights Commissioner, is running for reelection in her Advisory
Neighborhood Commission race (ANC 4D02) in Washington, D.C. and is currently the highest ranking African American
Green woman holding elected office. To view a video clip of Ms. Bowser's rebuttal to President Bush's 2006 State of the
Union Address, visit <http://gp.org/video/2006stateofunion>.
http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org
Ed Boyd, candidate for Governor of Maryland and a veteran of the U.S. Navy, has joined the Baltimore Pledge of
Resistance in its call for a full investigation into possible involvement of the Baltimore Police Dept. with NSA spying on the
group's activities. Mr. Boyd has also called on Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Martin O'Malley and Gov. Robert Ehrlich
to return over $30,000 in campaign contributions that came from Constellation, the parent company of Baltimore Gas and
Electric. BGE seeks to increase Marylanders' energy rates by 72% by July 1.
http://www.EdBoydforGovernor.org
Aaron Dixon is challenging Maria Cantwell for her U.S. Senate seat in Washington state. Mr. Dixon's rebuttal to a May 4
op-ed column by Ms. Cantwell in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, in which he sharply criticizes her support for the Iraq War,
can be read on his web site. http://www.dixon4senate.com
Nammu Mohamed, candidate for County Council in Richland County, South Carolina, is focusing his campaign on the needs
of local families. "Families and children in Richland County need more than just words from the council, they need action,"
said Mr. Mohamed. "From jobs to education to juvenal justice, the county has let the people down long enough. It's time to
elect a defender of children and families to the county council."
http://www.VoteNammu.com
Alvin Portee, like Mr. Mohamed, is also candidate for County Council in Richland County, South Carolina, and is speaking up
on behalf of young people. "Children are being left behind here in Richland County, and I intend to put children first instead.
From protecting them from gentrification of their family homes to protecting them from junk food, the county government must
do right by our children," said Mr. Portee. http://www.AlvinPortee.com
Winston Sephus, Jr., candidate for Wisconsin State Treasurer, is running with several clear goals: to become one of the
first Greens elected to statewide office in his state; to create independent oversight regarding the two-party duopoly grafts
and corruption, to maintain ballot status for the Wisconsin Green Party, and to encourage minority involvement in third party
politics. http://www.sephusfortreasurer.org
Cliff Thornton is running for Governor of Connecticut with the endorsement of the Green Party and help from third parties
and others to address the important issues facing the state, including education, the drug war, race, poverty, health care
for all, and a living wage. "We need politicians so committed to their jobs that they are willing to
lose it to make the right
decision," said Mr. Thornton. "Any politician not willing to risk election does not deserve to be elected in the first place. The
Green Party of Connecticut has those politicians." http://www.votethornton.com
Rick Tingling-Clemmons is running for Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7D05 in Washington, D.C. Mr.
Tingling-Clemmons currently serves as the Black Caucus delegate to the Green Party's National Committee.
http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org
Leon Todd is the Green candidate for Lt. Governor of Wisconsin.
http://wisconsingreenparty.org/pages/elections/candidates/todd
Donna Warren is running for the office of Lt. Governor in California. "People don't know what the Lt. Governor does
because the current and past Lt. Governors never took a leadership role to guide the State Senate to pass legislation for the
people" said Ms. Warren. "It's time for the guys to step aside and let a woman do her job. I will lead the California Senate to
stop the proliferation of prisons, enact a living wage for all workers -- migrant and citizen, completely fund our schools, stop
the gouging of consumers at the gas pump, end the death penalty, boost California's ailing economy, and amend California's
Three Strikes Law to violent felonies only." http://www.donnawarren.com
Rev. Antonio Williams of Columbia is running for the U.S. House of Representative in South Carolina's Sixth District. "I am
asking the voters to answer one question. Who represents them in Congress? For too many of us, no one does," said Rev.
Williams. http://www.AntonioWilliams.org