Representing the 195th Legislative District in North and West Philadelphia, State Rep. Donna BUllock strongly advocates on behalf of her constituents. Bullock won the seat in a special election held August 11, 2015. She serves as Vice Chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus.
A lawyer and Temple alumna, Bullock previously served as special assistant to Philadelphia City Council President Darrell L. Clarke and as the City Council Research Fellowship Director. She joined Clarke’s office in January 2011 as his Community and Economic Development Coordinator. Before her work for the city, Bullock worked at a private law firm and for Philadelphia Community Legal Services, where she formed and advised nonprofit organizations, small businesses and community groups.
She has volunteered and served on several boards, task forces, and coalitions, including the Smith Memorial Playground, the Columbia North YMCAAdvisory Board, West Philadelphia Child Care Network, and the Mayor’s Office of Community Service Advisory Board. Bullock earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Rutgers’s University and a Law Degree from Temple Beasley School of Law. She and her husband, Otis Bullock Jr., a lawyer and Temple alum as well, reside in Strawberry Mansion.
Here are her responses to FunTimes’ interview:
Defining moment:
My most defining moment would be when I became a mother. My sons mean the world to me and they are, above all, my greatest responsibility. No matter how much I accomplish professionally, if I do not raise these two boys to be strong, compassionate and caring men, then I failed. I failed them, their future families and society. Because they are my most important contribution to society. Even as a legislator, everything I do is informed by the fact that I am a mother, that I am a woman.
Challenges:
I often talk about the power and responsibility of the minority. In the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, I am one of 83 Democrats, one of 23 Philadelphians, one of 20 African Americans and one of nine women of color.
I understand what it means to be in the minority. There are many challenges but you don’t overcome them.
You accept them, embrace them and use them to effectuate change. When you are in the minority, people expect you to hold the majority accountable. You are simultaneously called on to be the conscience of the legislature, while your voices are silenced by the systems and cultures put in place by the majority. A colleague once told me that he liked working with me because I didn’t yell like other Black women. He was reinforcing this perception of the angry black woman. I was offended … the comment was demeaning to both me and my sisters. Needless to say, I haven’t been very quiet since and I make a point of strategically using my voice to advocate for my constituents and specifically for vulnerable populations. And sometimes that means I have to get loud.
Impact on your community:
Last year, my colleagues and I worked to get legislation passed that will increase enforcement of nuisance liquor establishments, often referred to as Stop and Go’s. These businesses operate in minority communities with very little respect for the laws that regulate them or the people they serve. They don’t provide restrooms or seating for their patrons. Many have a restaurant license but serve no food. They attract public drunkenness and illegal activity right in the heart of our communities. Getting these businesses in line and curtailing the behavior surrounding them will improve the quality of life for many residents in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.
Bridging the gap:
African Americans, Africans and Caribbean people are a diverse, beautiful collection of people. Though we have our differences, we also share ancestry, history of struggles and triumphs and cultures of color and rhythm. To bridge the gap, we simply need to communicate. We need to engage in community conversations, celebrate the nuances in our cultural traditions and support each others’ businesses. With the current socio-political climate, it’s more important now than ever for us to embrace the pulchritude (beauty) of tapestry of cultures, the strength of our combined economic power, and the potential of our unified political capital.
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