Bertha Lewis (born 1951) is the founder and president of the Black Institute, an 'action tank' whose mission is 'to shape intellectual discourse and dialogue and impact public policy uniquely from a Black perspective (a perspective which includes all

people of color The term "person of color" ( : people of color or persons of color; abbreviated POC) is primarily used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is primarily associated with, the U ...

in the United States and throughout the Diaspora).' She was the CEO and Chief Organizer of the nonprofit social justice organization ACORN until it disbanded in 2010. In early 2014, she was a member of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's Transition Team. Lewis attended

Hanover College Hanover College is a private college in Hanover, Indiana, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Founded in 1827 by Reverend John Finley Crowe, it is Indiana's oldest private college. The Hanover athletic teams participate in the H ...

, in

Hanover, Indiana Hanover is a town in Hanover Township, Jefferson County, southeast Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 3,546 at the 2010 census. Hanover is the home of Hanover College, a small Presbyterian liberal arts college. The "Point," locate ...

1967–68. She was appointed to lead ACORN in May 2008. In that position, Ms. Lewis oversaw the operations of its 400,000 strong membership, which was active in over 110 cities across the country. A 16-year veteran of the organization, Lewis was previously the executive director of ACORN's New York affiliate and is a founding co-chair of the New York

Working Families Party The Working Families Party (WFP) is a minor political party in the United States, founded in New York in 1998. There are active chapters in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Ne ...

. She has opposed the plastic bag ban in New York City. Prior to voicing her opinion, she received payments from the American Progressive Bag Alliance, a lobbying group that represents U.S. plastic bag manufacturers.

Awards and recognition

* 2004 Citizen Activist Award of the Gleitsman Foundation for her work in public education reform * 2005 Leon Bogues award for community and political activism, by New York State Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, Inc. * 2006 “Influentials” in politics by ''New York'' magazine * 2007 100 Most Influential Women of New York, by ''Crains'' magazine

References

External links

"CEO Says ACORN 'Isn't Dead Yet'"
''NPR'', Deborah Tedford, March 23, 2010
"ACORN CEO Reflects On The Group's Hard Times"
''NPR'', March 23, 2010
"Bertha Lewis", ''Huffington Post''
Living people African-American people in New York (state) politics African-American women in politics African-American activists American community activists Housing rights activists in New York City American anti-poverty advocates American social democrats 1951 births Hanover College alumni Working Families Party politicians 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women 20th-century African-American people 20th-century African-American women {{US-activist-stub