Kristen Clarke became the first Black woman to serve as the newly confirmed Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Justice yesterday. The Collective PAC, the nation’s largest political action committee dedicated to increasing Black political engagement, representation and power across all levels of government, released the following statement:

“The Collective PAC is proud to congratulate and celebrate Kristen Clarke on her historic confirmation as the first Black woman to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Justice. Kristen is one of the country’s preeminent civil rights attorneys and will bring a wealth of knowledge and relational understanding of the country’s legal system and civil rights laws to this critical role; serving with the honor, dedication and decency she’s exemplified throughout a career dedicated to public service. 

With hate crimes, employment discrimination and voter suppression tactics on the rise, Americans will greatly benefit from Kristen’s years of experience and leadership at the U.S. Department of Justice. Kristen will work to vigorously defend the civil rights of historically underrepresented communities and the constitutional rights of all Americans; especially the most vulnerable members of our society. The Collective is proud to have led and supported various advocacy efforts calling upon the U.S. Senate to confirm Kristen Clarke. And as we also remember George Floyd today on the anniversary of his murder, we renew our demand for the Senate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to advance meaningful police reform legislation and build trust between law enforcement and Black communities. While the arc of the moral universe is indeed long, we are hopeful to see it bend closer towards justice today as we work for a better tomorrow.”