Six Questions for BWOPA: For 55 Years, This Women’s Org Has Stood at the Frontline of Black Politics in California

Dezie Wood-Jones, State President, BWOPA By Edward Henderson, California Black Media Founded in 1968, Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) is a statewide non-profit advocacy and membership organization committed to solving problems affecting Black Californians. BWOPA originated as an extension of a group known as Bay Area Women for Dellums, under the leadership of Edith M. Austin. Starting with 12 politically active women from various Bay Area cities, the group grew to over 200 Black women working to elect former U.S. Rep. Ron V. Dellums to Congress. After raising $75,000, and succeeding in electing Dellums, the original group members continued to meet and work on other political causes. BWOPA’s political influence and involvement has played a major role in the election of many other dynamic women who were the first African American women elected in their respective areas. Women such as the Honorable Judith Ford, Alameda County Municipal Court; Darlene Lawson from the Oakland Board of Education, and Doris Ward, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and former County Assessor for the City and County of San Francisco. Former Congressmember Diane Watson, who represented California’s 33rd Congressional District; U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris; Congressmember Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) and Congressmember Maxine...