Frances Taylor
Frances Taylor
Ella Baker Center supporter
In 2009 Frances Taylor was a financial supporter of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, California.[1]
BWOPA
Black Women Organized for Political Action was founded in 1968, as an outgrowth of a group calling itself Bay Area Women for Dellums. This group consisted of 12 politically active women from various Bay Area cities under the leadership of Edith M. Austin. It was Paul Cobb, political activist, running for Oakland City Council, who labeled the group Women Organized for Political Action.
The small group grew to over 200 black women from throughout the Bay Area - all diligently working to elect Ron Dellums to Congress.
After raising $75,000, and succeeding in electing Dellums, the original group members who included Alfreda Abbott, Margaret Amoureaux, Belva Davis, Ruth Hagwood-Webb, Aileen Hernandez, Ella Hill Hutch, Mary Jane Johnson, Dorothy Pitts, Teola Sanders, Frances Taylor and Dezie Woods-Jones, continued to meet and work on other political issues.
In April 1971, WOPA put out a call for women who were interested in political action and over 350 women convened at what then was the Bay Area's Black Culture Center, "The Rainbow Sign" to form what is now known as Black Women Organized for Political Action. To date, BWOPA is the oldest such organization in the State of California.
A strong belief in democratic leadership has existed in the organization since its inception, and the founding members governed as co-chairs until 1970.
However, in 1970, growth of the organization required more centralized leadership, and Dezie Woods-Jones was elected the first president of the organization. The organization flourished and made significant inroads during the near 30-year Woods-Jones leadership. Ms. Woods-Jones has dedicated her life to advocacy in education, youth development, women's empowerment, and matters of poverty and disenfranchisement. Ms. Woods-Jones was also elected by voters to the Oakland City Council in 1991, and served as Vice-Mayor for two years.[2]
References
- ↑ http://www.ellabakercenter.org/index.php?p=ebc_supporters_2009 Ella Baker Center website: 2009 Supporters] (accessed on March 28, 2010)
- ↑ [1]