California Congresswoman Barbara Lee is the current chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. She’s also a past co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. A single mother and former Black Panthers sympathizer, she, like many former radicals, began to work within the system — serving in the California legislature — without giving up her idealism and principles. Undoubtedly, many conservatives — and even so-called “centrists” — find her still radical: Lee was the only person in Congress to vote against the post 9/11 bill authorizing the open-ended use of military force against terrorists (it was the “open-ended” part she had a problem with). And she was one of 31 House members who stood with Stephanie Tubbs Jones to object to the counting of the 2004 presidential electoral votes from Ohio, until an investigation of that chaotic election took place. She’ll give the keynote address at
Case Western Reserve’s Stokes Leadership Symposium at noon today at the Ford Auditorium (11000 Euclid Ave.), speaking on “Opportunities for All, Pathways Out of Poverty: My Journey From Public Assistance to Public Service.” The talk will include questions and an audience discussion, moderated by associate professor David Miller from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. It’s free and open to the public. —
Anastasia Pantsios
