Executive Director David Clunie accepted the “Distinguished Service Award” on behalf of BEA at the League’s 2022 Awards Breakfast

New York, NY – (March 30, 2022) Today, the Black Economic Alliance (BEA), a nonpartisan group of Black business leaders, was honored by The League of Women Voters of the City of New York for its leadership in raising the voice of Corporate America to ensure equity in voting rights for all Americans. BEA’s Executive Director David Clunie accepted the 2022 “Distinguished Service Award” on behalf of the organization during The League’s annual awards breakfast in New York City.

“It is an honor for an organization with the mission and track record of the League of Women Voters of the City of New York to recognize the Black Economic Alliance’s efforts to advance voting rights,” said David Clunie, Executive Director of the Black Economic Alliance. “Ensuring every eligible voter has equal access to the ballot is a prerequisite to an inclusive, sustainable economy. There are multiple avenues the business community can explore to help protect and support equitable participation in our democracy, and BEA is committed to being a resource and advocate for them to do so. We’re thankful to the NYC League of Women Voters for this award and for their work to help safeguard our democracy for over 100 years.”

The League’s 2022 Awards Breakfast, “Access to the Ballot Box,” focused on the barrage of restrictive state voting legislation following the 2020 election. The hybrid event, which included 150 in-person guests, was hosted by Shirleen Allicot, co-anchor of WABC-TV’s Eyewitness News This Morning and Eyewitness News at Noon. Special guest Jeanine Liburd, BET’s Chief of Social Impact and Communications, also joined David for a fireside chat about his career path, dedication to economic empowerment for Black Americans, and BEA’s work to defend voting rights and encourage business leaders to get engaged in the fight to protect our democracy.

“This morning’s conversation was a wonderful reminder of the importance of looking at the racial equity conversation through an intersectional lens,” said Jeanine Liburd, Chief Social Impact and Communications Officer for BET. “Economic empowerment, social justice, and voting rights are all critical to ensuring that we’re not only supporting the Black community, but our entire society and democracy. It was an honor to bring this important conversation to the stage of the NYC League of Women Voters’ Annual Awards Breakfast.”

“We were thrilled to honor BEA at our first in-person event since 2019,” said Barb Ettington, NYC League of Women Voters Board Member. “BEA’s non-partisan work to engage Corporate America in the voting rights conversation has been integral to strengthening our democracy. I look forward to our organizations continuing to work together to increase and enhance voting rights efforts in New York City and beyond.”

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About the Black Economic Alliance

The Black Economic Alliance is a coalition of Black business leaders and allies committed to driving economic progress for the Black community through public policy, advocacy, and engagement with government and business leaders. Led by a board that includes executives from a range of industries including media, finance, pharmaceutical, nonprofit, and tech, BEA uses its collective power and business acumen to advance policies that will improve work, wages, and wealth for Black Americans. | https://bea.briteweb.com/

About The League of Women Voters of the City of New York

Founded in 1919, The League of Women Voters of the City of New York is a nonpartisan, non-profit, all-volunteer organization working to promote civic responsibility through informed and active participation in government.  As a member of the national and state organization, the League is fighting for voting rights across the country.  Local successes have included:  no-excuse absentee ballots for the 2020 and 2021 elections, extended hours for early voting and curing of absentee ballot discrepancies.  In New York City, the League registers thousands of new voters and provides election information to thousands more through speaking engagements, workshops and volunteer training. Responsive to local issues, the NYC chapter has action committees advocating to bring reform to redistricting, criminal justice, education, gender justice and voting rights.

About the Award

For more than forty years, The League of Women Voters of the City of New York has honored leaders in the community for the positive impact they have had on New York City in response to the challenges the city faces.  2021 Honorees, selected for their impact on New York City’s rebound from Covid, included Deborah Borda, President New York Philharmonic, Leecia Eve, Vice President, Verizon, and Dr. Julia Iyasere, Executive Director of the Dalio Center for Health Justice at NewYork-Presbyterian.  In 2018, when the news media was being attacked for “fake news,” the League honored the Committee to Protect Journalists.   Other award recipients throughout the years have included such notable New Yorkers as David Rockefeller, Joseph Papp, Merryl Tisch and Billie Jean King.