Candidate Statements for the 2025 DA France Black Caucus Leadership Election
The nominations and call for candidates period for the 2025 DA France Black Caucus Elections has now closed. Please find below statements for the candidates standing for the two Co-Chair positions up for election.
All members of the DA France Black Caucus will receive a ballot by email on March 1. Online voting will end on March 15 at midnight.
New members are welcome to join and vote — please do so by March 10. You must be a U.S. citizen living overseas and at least 18 years old at the time of the next federal election to join Democrats Abroad, and be living in France to vote in this election (join here: https://www.democratsabroad.org/join), and also be a Black member of the Global Black Caucus (join here: https://www.democratsabroad.org/bc).
Questions? Contact the Black Caucus Election Board at [email protected].
The positions advertised for election were two Co-Chairs.
***********
Candidate Statements
Co-Chair Candidates
Shelley Bradford Bell
Shelley Bradford Bell is CEO of 3FIVE55 Communications LLC, a consulting, coaching, and publishing business and publishingcompany. Shelley founded 3FIVE55 after 38 years of creating marketing campaigns, and providing consulting services to corporations, nonprofits, and C-suite clients, for her company SBB Communications.
Why I’m running for Black Caucus:
The future of African American life in the United States is under attack with our new President. The attack on DEI, as if it only impacts the African American community is dismantling democracy and threatening to the future for our children and grandchildren. My vision is to mentor our youth to leadership and work side by side with them to ensure our history, our civil rights are preserved. DEI is an American issue, but it is being used as a weapon against African Americans. I’m dedicated to turning the ship around and building unity among all Americans.
With my Co-Chair Fay Hutchinson, we have African Americans in France back to the process of Democracy. I am dedicated to mentoring youth to leadership and handing them the reigns, as the future belongs to them.
Fay Hutchinson
Fay Hutchinson is a retired STEM Education Specialist. During her twenty-eight year tenure at the American School of Paris (ASP), Fay was
instrumental in developing and implementing various aspects of the STEM educational program. As a certified NASA Endeavor STEM Fellow, she served as a student advisor and mentor; STEM and Multimedia teacher and the STEM liaison and facilitator for the Brown University Women in Engineering Pre-college program at ASP.
Why I’m running for Black Caucus:
I’ve dedicated my life to teaching and mentoring youth into leadership. I have experienced firsthand the discrimination that blocks the doors to opportunity. Project 2025 is a dangerous agenda, but together, we have the power to defeat any efforts to destroy our Civil Rights. I take my responsibility to vote seriously. As a Black Caucus Co-chair, I helped to bring the African American community in France back into the spotlight of Democrats Abroad France. Our 2022-2024 programs, and partnership have re-energized the African American voter in France. I have no doubt that in 2025-2027, we will continue to grow and continue to make a difference.