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JEFFERSON CITY — In a legislature dominated by white men, members of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus say they give a voice to disadvantaged and vulnerable people.
As February’s Black History Month events wrap up, several members of the caucus laid out their hopes for the legislative session, as well as their views of the caucus’s role in the legislature. They said they look for ways to improve the impact of state policies on Black and brown people.
The caucus has 24 members, including eight women. There are 23 Democrats and a single Republican, Rep. Shamed Dogan, R-Ballwin.
Dogan has been a member of the caucus since 2015. In that time, he’s seen the caucus — and minority representation as a whole — grow in both the House and Senate.
“So that’s been positive progress to see over the years,” Dogan said.
Rep. David Smith, D-Columbia, was elected via special election in the spring of 2021. In doing so, he became Boone County’s first Black representative.
While he was hesitant to speak on behalf of the caucus, Smith said, “The Black Caucus does a good job of making sure minorities in this state have a voice in the legislature.”
Smith emphasized the importance of election and voting legislation. He serves on the House committee on elections.
“I think there is a big movement to suppress the vote in Missouri and nationwide, and we need to be diligent to make sure people have access to the ballot, and people can get initiative petitions on the ballot and people can get initiative petitions passed,” Smith said.
Republican legislative leaders’ agenda this year includes banning critical race theory in Missouri, which is part of a larger national discussion on what schools should teach students about Black history.
Multiple legislators sponsored bills this session that would prevent public schools from implementing critical race theory into their curricula.
“It’s really unfortunate because it’s a fabricated issue,” said Sen. Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis. “You know, it’s one of those issues where logic and reason have completely gone out the window, and it’s just a political talking point.”
Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, said critical race theory is an important issue for the caucus.
“That was one of the key things for the Black Caucus that we wanted to make sure our voices were being heard most, even compared to our own fellow Democrat colleagues,” Aldridge said.
Aldridge laid out a defense of the kind of critical assessments of American history that many have branded as critical race theory.
“Once we’re able to have these subconversations and able to understand where we came from, it only makes us better individuals, not just for ourselves but as a society,” Aldridge said. “We’re able to work with each other in a more holistic, loving approach because we’ve been able to conquer the truth of what it was.”
Another key issue for members of the caucus involves changes to the criminal justice system.
Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins, D-St. Louis, said she is fighting for improvements in conditions in state prisons and oversight in fentanyl-related overdoses that have occurred in them. She regularly visits prisons across the state to check on conditions and speak with wardens.
“Out of the total 23 prison facilities, I have visited a total of 22, but I’ve done a total of 46 prison pop-ups since July,” Collins said.
Aldridge said he also wants to see changes related to corrections, including “not locking up fathers or mothers who are paying child support” and “not continuing this spiral of a debt prison.”
“Jail is meant for the worst of the worst, not a person that went out and made a mistake or who couldn’t pay their child support and so now he or she is in jail, and that only continues that cycle where they get out and can’t find a job,” Aldridge said. “I would say a lot of my legislation is decriminalizing and trying to figure out how to empower the most vulnerable people in this state, which seems to be people that look like myself and my district, and in other districts that look like me — Black and brown people.”
Rep. Neil Smith, D-St. Louis, however, said he brings a slightly different approach than many other members of the caucus to the criminal justice reform debate.
“I’m not about defunding the police department, as some of them are,” Neil Smith said. “I do believe there’s some prisons out there that’s treating our people wrong. And I will stand behind my colleagues when it comes to that kind of stuff. But will I be writing some legislation for that? Probably not.”
Many members of the caucus view part of their mission as bringing perspectives of minority Missourians to a mostly white and male legislature.
Collins said as a woman of color, she brings a unique perspective to the Capitol.
“Do I think I’m treated differently? Yes and no,” Collins said. “I come from a different background. So of course, I’m born and raised in an urban area of north St. Louis. My district is more of a disadvantaged community. It is also very diverse, because I do cover some of the wealthiest people in the city of St. Louis in the central west end, as well as what is considered to be some of the poorest neighborhoods in the city of St. Louis.”
Aldridge sees an opportunity for Missourians of color to benefit from the budget process, as an unprecedented amount of federal cash is coming into the state. He serves on the House Budget Committee.
“I’m very hopeful in the budget process. I think it’s a huge opportunity, especially for the Black caucus, to be able to work with Cody (Smith), the budget chair, who tends to be, in my time with him, a fair and balanced person,” Aldridge said. “We don’t get everything we want, but we can work with him and be able to, as a Black caucus, to use some of these funds to rebuild our infrastructure.”
Legislators also have their own personal goals.
Dogan said a priority of his has been pushing House Bill 1743, also known as the CROWN Act, which would ban discriminatory practices on the basis of hair texture and style.
“Kids shouldn’t be denied education and access to quality education based on the way their hair is naturally grown, the way that God intended it,” Dogan said.
Roberts is advocating for concealed carry reform. Collins is pushing a tax credit for urban farms. The chairperson of the caucus, Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, said she hopes to expand access to safe abortions and improve maternal health care, as the rate of women dying during childbirth is disproportionately higher among Black women.
What unites all of these legislators, Manlove said, is a common objective of supporting the Black constituents of Missouri.
“Our goal is stopping any legislation that hurts Black people and passing legislation that helps Black people,” Manlove said.
Neil Smith said that electing minorities to the Missouri legislature may look different in the coming years because of redistricting. He used the 75th District, currently represented by Rep. Alan Gray, D-Black Jack, as an example.
“They have cut his whole district out and put it in another person’s district,” Smith said. “So that kind of stuff will affect his race, absolutely.”
“As far as Black folks go, they’re going to vote Democrat in our area. It’s like 80% Black folks in these districts. The thing is, are you going to vote for this Black guy or this Black woman?” Smith said. “It didn’t really affect our constituency; it affected the representatives that are running for those seats.”
A bipartisan citizens commission drew new districts for the 163-member state House. Adjustments are required every 10 years to reflect population shifts.
Despite the potential negative impacts on some specific legislators, Aldridge said the changes could have a net positive impact on diversity in the legislature.
“I could see some potential growth for more Black members, and even a potential Latino member in the chamber, just based on the way that the lines were drawn,” Aldridge said. “I’m actually really appreciative and feel like both parties, Democrat and Republican, were able to redraw a fair map.”
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