Please see below for the important information Spelman women have compiled. Thanks, Joyce Davis, for sending me this:

Political analysts continue to question whether America is ready for its first Black or first women president. A recent survey commissioned by LEADS at Spelman College shows that these questions, which center on race and gender, aren’t very important to African-American women. Of the more than 305 Democratic African-American women polled as part of a survey to assess the political mindset of minority female democrats (905 total minority participants), the majority indicated they are not torn between race and gender as many in the media have speculated.

Their primary motivation for favoring Hillary Clinton or Barak Obama as the Democratic presidential nominee is based on leadership abilities. Without the aid of a list, when asked, what leadership abilities they desire most in the next presidential candidate, the most popular answer was “integrity and trustworthiness.” The second most popular response was the ability to be a “change agent.”

Below is the full press release. Please contact me if you would like additional information on the survey or would like an:

INTERVIEW WITH AN EXPERT ON FEMALE LEADERSHIP: Interview Dr. Jane Smith, executive director of LEADS at Spelman and one of the nation?s most influential African-American females. Jane can discuss:

o Why this issue is deeper than a ?black and white? OR ?black and female? as the media has portrayed?
o What the survey results reveal about the desires of minority women for this country?s leadership?
o What this historic election means for minority women as a whole?

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AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE DEMOCRATS SAY IT?S ABOUT LEADERSHIP, NOT RACE OR GENDER

ATLANTA (April 21, 2008) ? According to a new nationwide survey commissioned by LEADS at Spelman College, African-American female Democrats across the country say leadership abilities, not race or gender, is the primary motivator for their selection of Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama as the Democratic presidential nominee.

The first survey conducted to explore the political interests and mindsets of minority female Democrats reveals that few African-American female Democrats admit race (3.9 percent) or gender (5.6 percent) are the primary motivators for selecting the next presidential candidate. Nine out of 10, say they will choose the Democratic nominee based on leadership abilities.

?Contrary to sensational headlines, this survey shows that African-American women are looking beyond the surface of race and gender,? said Jane E. Smith, Ed. D., executive director of LEADS at Spelman College, a leadership development center for women.
?When facing critical issues such as healthcare, the economy and the war in Iraq, leadership demands integrity, which is represented not only by words, but by thoughts and actions.?

However, the study confirms other national polls stating that African-American women are more likely to vote for Barack Obama, while Hispanics and other minority women prefer Hillary Clinton.

When asked to state which leadership abilities they most desire in a presidential candidate, the study of 305 African-American females (of 905 total minority participants) cite integrity (19.7 percent), ability to make changes (19 percent) and inclusiveness (17.7 percent) as their top three characteristics. The ability to build bridges with other nations and unite people complete the top five at 14.4 percent and 11.5 percent, respectively.
Seventy-eight percent of African-American females believe Barack Obama best represents their ideal candidate over 27.7 percent who select Hillary Clinton.

Survey Methodology
The LEADS at Spelman College 2008 Leadership Survey was conducted nationwide, via telephone. The total sample size was 905 female respondents, who were: head of household; 18 years of age or older; and, registered Democrats planning to vote in the next presidential election. Respondents were randomly selected and each subset included African-American women (305), Hispanic women (300), and other minority women (300): Asian/Pacific Islander and Native American). The margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 percent (for the overall sample).