This Black History Month highlights three influential leaders who advanced economic justice and improved access to essential needs for children and families in the U.S. Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, advocated for poverty-stricken families during her tenure, supporting increased funding for early childhood education and nutrition programs. She was instrumental in establishing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in 1972.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., known for his role in the Civil Rights Movement, emphasized economic justice in his later years. He initiated the Poor People’s Campaign in 1968, which aimed to combat systemic poverty by advocating for living wages, decent housing, and anti-poverty programs, highlighting the need for basic necessities for families.

Congressman Mickey Leland focused on hunger during his time in Congress, serving on the House Select Committee on Hunger. He promoted the Mickey Leland Childhood Hunger Relief Act, reinforcing the idea that no child should go hungry. Bellevue LifeSpring expresses its commitment to ensuring that all children in the community have the resources they need to succeed in education and thrive.