Category: Press Release

During her final Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, Wilson will lead “Our Young Black Boys Are Being Murdered and Nobody Seems to Care” and honor families who transformed their pain into purpose

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), chair of the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, will center the voices, courage and advocacy of bereaved parents during the 55th Annual Legislative Conference of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.

The centerpiece of Congresswoman Wilson’s final Annual Legislative Conference as a member of Congress will be the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Braintrust, “Our Young Black Boys Are Being Murdered and Nobody Seems to Care,” on Friday, September 18.

The braintrust will honor the lives and legacies of King Carter, Jordan Davis, Trayvon Martin and Nolan Wells while paying special tribute to the parents who turned unimaginable loss into a lifelong fight for truth, justice and change.

Six-year-old King Carter was killed by gunfire near his Miami-Dade home in 2016. His parents, Monica Smith and Santonio Carter, transformed their heartbreak into advocacy aimed at ending gun violence and protecting other children from the tragedy that took their son.

Seventeen-year-old Jordan Davis was shot and killed at a Jacksonville gas station in 2012 following a confrontation over loud music. His mother, Congresswoman Lucy McBath (GA06), carried Jordan’s memory from advocacy into public office, becoming a leading national voice for gun violence prevention.

Seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin was walking back from a convenience store in Sanford, Florida, when he was followed and fatally shot in 2012. His death awakened the conscience of the nation and helped ignite a new era of civil rights activism. His mother, Sybrina Fulton, has dedicated her life to preserving Trayvon’s legacy and fighting for safer communities, justice and meaningful change.

Eighteen-year-old Nolan Wells disappeared during a Fourth of July boating trip to Horn Island, Mississippi, and was found dead two days later. With critical questions surrounding the circumstances of his death still unanswered, his parents, Christine Wells Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley, continue to demand a complete, transparent and accountable investigation into what happened to their son.

The discussion will be co-moderated by civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Congresswoman McBath, who will also share Jordan’s story and her journey from a grieving mother to a national leader in the fight to protect families from gun violence.

Panelists will include Congresswoman Wilson; Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04); Congressman Christian Menefee (TX-18); STARZ actor Nicco Annan; Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin; Christine Wells Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley, mother and father of Nolan Wells; and Monica Smith and Santonio Carter, mother and father of King Carter.

Together, the moderators, panelists and parents will share their experiences, honor their children’s lives and confront a nation that has too often failed to protect Black children or deliver justice to their families.

“These parents have endured the pain no mother or father should ever have to bear, yet they refused to allow their children’s stories to end with their deaths,” said Congresswoman Wilson. “They turned grief into action, heartbreak into advocacy and their children’s names into movements for justice. We honor King, Jordan, Trayvon and Nolan by honoring the parents who carry their legacies forward and by continuing their fight to protect every Black child in America.”

The Commission will also hold its Official Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony: Honoring the Martyrs Who Shaped Black History, featuring a special tribute to the parents who continue to carry their children’s legacies forward.

The Commission will honor Monica Smith and Santonio Carter, parents of King Carter; Congresswoman Lucy McBath, mother of Jordan Davis; Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin; and Christine Wells Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley, parents of Nolan Wells.

The ceremony will recognize these parents not simply as survivors of tragedy, but as leaders whose relentless pursuit of truth, justice and accountability has changed communities, influenced public policy and ensured that their children’s names will never be forgotten.

“Behind every young Black life lost is a family left carrying unimaginable grief and a future forever rewritten,” said the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys. “Yet these parents have turned their pain into purpose, their heartbreak into action and their children’s names into a national demand for justice. The Commission stands with them to ensure their voices are heard, their children’s legacies endure and their courage drives the change necessary to protect Black men and boys across America.”

Congresswoman Wilson has spent her career fighting for Black children and standing beside families whose lives have been forever changed by violence. Her work led to the establishment of the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, a bipartisan federal commission charged with examining the conditions affecting Black men and boys and advancing solutions in education, health care, employment, housing, criminal justice and public safety.

The Commission’s work continues the mission Congresswoman Wilson began more than three decades ago through the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project: protecting Black boys, interrupting the school-to-prison pipeline and surrounding young men with the mentorship, opportunities and support they need to succeed.

“For years, these parents cried out for justice while too many people looked away,” said Congresswoman Wilson. “The Commission exists because America must pay attention to what is happening to Black men and boys. We will say their names. We will listen to their families. We will tell their stories. Most importantly, we will continue fighting for a country where no parent has to bury a child because of racism, violence or a system that failed to value his life.”

Wilson Scholars and Role Models representing Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Broward County Public Schools, Duval County Public Schools and the Los Angeles Unified School District will also travel to Washington to participate in the conference. The students will attend the Commission’s braintrust, serve as ambassadors and experience the institutions and history their predecessors helped shape.

Their presence will create a powerful connection between the children whose lives were taken, the parents protecting their legacies and the young men Congresswoman Wilson has dedicated her life to protecting.

The week will also include “From the Classroom to Congress: Celebrating Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson,” recognizing her 35 years of public service as an educator, school board member, state legislator and member of Congress.

Key Events

From the Classroom to Congress: Celebrating Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson

Thursday, September 17, 2026
7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The Anthem Room
Marriott Marquis
Washington, D.C.

U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Braintrust:
“Our Young Black Boys Are Being Murdered and Nobody Seems to Care”

Co-Moderators:

• • Congresswoman Lucy McBath (GA-06)
  • Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump

Panelists and Featured Participants:

• • Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24)
  • Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04)
  • Congressman Christian Menefee (TX-18)
  • Nicco Annan, STARZ Actor
  • Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin
  • Christine Wells Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley, mother and father of Nolan Wells
  • Monica Smith and Santonio Carter, mother and father of King Carter

Friday, September 18, 2026
4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Ballroom C
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Washington, D.C.
cbcfinc.com/ALC

Official Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys:
Honoring the Martyrs Who Shaped Black History
A Tribute to the Parents Who Carry Their Legacies Forward

Honoring:

• • Monica Smith and Santonio Carter, parents of King Carter
  • Congresswoman Lucy McBath, mother of Jordan Davis
  • Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin
  • Christine Wells Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley, parents of Nolan Wells

Friday, September 18, 2026
4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Ballroom C
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Washington, D.C.
cbcfinc.com/ALC

About the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys
The U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys is a bipartisan federal commission that examines the social disparities affecting Black men and boys and recommends policies to improve the conditions they face. Its work addresses education, employment, health care, housing, criminal justice, violence and other systemic challenges.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kailyn Mcbride, (202) 225-4506, [email protected].

The U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys (CSSBMB) has released a new report examining the School-to-Prison Pipeline and its disproportionate impact on Black boys in the United States. The report highlights how exclusionary discipline practices, inequitable school policies, and systemic bias contribute to increased rates of suspension, expulsion, and justice system involvement for Black boys and men. Drawing on national data and research, the Commission outlines key findings and offers policy recommendations aimed at promoting educational equity, reducing punitive discipline, and ensuring schools serve as pathways to opportunity rather than punishment.

Read CSSBMB’s 2025 Annual Report

In light of President Donald J. Trump’s April 23, 2025 Executive Order (EO) 14283, “White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” and building on the commitments outlined in his 2020 “Platinum Plan,” the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys (CSSBMB) issues new policy recommendations to deepen federal investment in historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and improve educational outcomes for Black youth — particularly Black male students—through targeted funding, institutional capacity-building, and expanded pathways to academic and economic success.

Read CSSBMB’s Policy Recommendations

Rep. Maxwell Frost, Rep. Troy Carter, Rep. Henry “Hank” Johnson, Alaysia Black Hackett, and Joseph Salvador Palm join the bipartisan commission

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys (CSSBMB) today announces the appointment of five new commissioners. Representatives Maxwell Frost, Troy Carter, Henry Hank Johnson, and Chief Diversity and Equity Officer at the U.S. Department of Labor Alaysia Black Hackett, and Regional Director at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Joseph Palm, join 11 other commissioners on the bipartisan commission.

The mission of CSSBMB, established in 2020, is to elevate Black men and boys by examining social disparities, issuing policy recommendations, and crafting legislation to Congress, the White House, and federal agencies for actionable implementation.

“The inclusion of these new members marks a momentous stride, fortifying our collective commitment to empowering Black men and boys in our nation,” said Chairwoman Congresswoman Frederica Wilson. “Amidst rising gun violence, educational and health disparities, and other challenges that disproportionately affect Black men, the time to support Black Men and Boys is now. We cannot ignore Black men and boys in our policy-making any longer, and I am confident each commissioner will advance Black men and boys nationwide.”

In 2024, the Commission will release its second annual report and will bring light to issues such as the school-to-prison pipeline that affects many young men in America. To keep up to date with the work of the commission, please visit usccr.gov/CSSBMB.

About the New Commissioners:

Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL) The first member of Generation Z to be elected to Congress, Maxwell Alejandro Frost represents the people of Central Florida in the United States House of Representatives. “The Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys is doing deeply impactful work to better identify and break down the hurdles facing young Black people in our communities while fighting to create a world where systemic inequality does not exist,” said Congressman Maxwell Frost. “As the youngest Afro-Latino in Congress, I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside this Commission for the betterment of my Black brothers and siblings.”

Troy Carter (D-LA) Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. is an elected United States House of Representatives member from Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District. “As a member, I look forward to actively participating in the mission to propose impactful measures and recommendations that can lead to positive changes in legislation, policies, and government programs, fostering a national dialogue on the nuanced challenges Black men and boys face in our cultural landscape,” said Carter.

Henry “Hank” Johnson (D-GA) In his ninth term in the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia’s Fourth Congressional District, Johnson is a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee. “I am proud to have been asked to serve along with others on the CSSBMB, which will report on the current conditions affecting Black men and boys and make recommendations to improve the social conditions that impact our ability to more fully participate in the advancement of American society,” said Johnson.

Alaysia Black Hackett Appointed by President Joe Biden, reporting directly to the Secretary of Labor, Hackett serves as the Department of Labor’s inaugural Chief Diversity and Equity Officer. “I am enthusiastic about serving with Congresswoman Wilson and my co-commissioners for the advancement of Black men and boys by offering tangible and measurable solutions to foster economic opportunities, create positive pathways to good jobs, and bridge wage disparities,” said Hackett.

Joseph Salvador Palm is the Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.“I’d like to thank the Biden Administration for this appointment and the opportunity to work to improve the social status for black males,” said Palm. “I look forward to working with Chairwoman Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and the other members of the commission to reduce racial disparities, especially in health and education outcomes.”

About the Commission:

CSSBMB is a 19-member, bipartisan commission whose mission is to:

• Conduct a systematic study of the conditions affecting Black men and boys, including homicide rates, arrest, and incarceration rates, poverty, violence, fatherhood, mentor-ship, drug abuse, death rates, disparate income and wealth levels, school performance at all grade levels, including postsecondary education and college, and health issues.
• Examine trends regarding Black males and report on the community impacts of relevant government programs within the scope of such topics.
• Propose measures to alleviate and remedy the underlying causes of the conditions described in the statute, which may include recommendations for changes to the law, recommendations for how to implement related policies, and recommendations for how to create, develop, or improve upon government programs.

Stay abreast of CSSBMB updates on Instagram, Facebook, and X. Press inquiries can be made by emailing [email protected].

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Commission on Civil Rights hires Mark Spencer, Esq. to lead the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys (CSSBMB) as its new Director.

A native of Washington, D.C., Mr. Spencer earned his Juris Doctor from the American University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C., and Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from St. Bonaventure University, Olean, N.Y.

Mr. Spencer comes to the Commission from the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Department where he served as the Inspector General. He has more than 30 years of professional experience as an Attorney practicing corporate litigation, products liability, personal injury and criminal prosecution. His most recent work experience involved police reform and oversight which included advising law enforcement executives and legislative bodies on law enforcement best practices.

As Director of the CSSBMB, Mr. Spencer will oversee the operations and development of policy recommendations to meet the objectives and future direction of the Commission.

“I am excited to begin this new effort to highlight issues impacting Black men and boys and to explore initiatives that can positively impact the outcomes of their lives,” said Mark Spencer, Director, Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys.

The Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys (CSSBMB) will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, from 1:00 – 3:00 PM ET *. This meeting is open to the public and will be live-streamed.

* Schedule subject to change.