Earlier this month, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), a non-partisan nonprofit and educational institute focused on advancing the global Black community, announced Tonya Veasey as its new president and CEO. Her hope is to create a framework to guide the community through these tumultuous political times.
After running her own businesses for over 14 years, Veasey sees her appointment as a natural progression given her connections and work with the foundation. “My husband is actually a member of Congress, so for a while I was heavily involved in the spouses organization [and] served on the [CDCF] board,” Veasey said in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.
“Our [current] board chair, [Congressman Cedric Richmond,] said, ‘You could you step in on an interim basis and help us really assess what do we need to do to move the foundation forward to build a strong infrastructure.’ So, I did that for about four months and really enjoyed the work…I knew the team, so I wasn’t a stranger coming in. I not only know the members, but I also know our internal team as well as a lot of our sponsors and partners, [so] it was a great opportunity.”
In a time where public policy around Black issues is more critical than ever with the upcoming elections, Veasey plans to use her leadership skills to shape new initiatives to move the foundation forward.
“I think we have an [unique] opportunity…because people are at home and we are starting to do more virtual programs. I think we have an opportunity to connect with our community in a much broader way,” she explains.
“[We believe] that what we know is best and then it’s time for us to really listen and make sure that we are aligned [with] amazing energy with our younger brothers and sisters that are out here…I am [currently launching] a national racial equity initiative and I’m very excited about [it]. That was really in response to what we are currently facing in society.”