Sheryl Lee Ralph tells Abington crowd that Black women will vault Josh Shapiro to reelection — and maybe the presidency
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, and others urged voters in Abington to support the governor.
For 400 years, “in the worst of circumstances,” Black women have fed the hungry, healed the sick, entertained the public, and educated the children, Broadway star and Emmy-award winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph told a crowd gathered in Abington Sunday afternoon.
Ralph said it’s important for Black women to know their worth and never let themselves be taken for granted.
“We hold it together. We are the doers. We are the movers. We are the shakers. We are the supporters,” said Ralph, who stars as Barbara Howard on ABC’s Abbott Elementary.
Black women, she predicted, will help Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro win reelection this November.
“And if he decides to run for president, you’ll get him there, too,” she added at the event meant to boost Shapiro’s current gubernatorial campaign.
Ralph was one several prominent African-American women gathered at the Salem Adult Citizens Center, a nonprofit serving seniors that is operated by the Salem Baptist Church, a predominantly Black congregation in the governor’s hometown.
The event also featured speeches from Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton.
For Ralph, who is married to State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D., Philadelphia), Sunday’s event marks her latest involvement in Democratic politics. She joined then-Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss reproductive rights in May 2024, before Harris became the Democratic nominee for president. She also spoke Parker’s 2024 inauguration.
Shapiro said he is indebted to several Black female legislators for their role in passing legislation to support improvements for women giving birth in Pennsylvania.
“Black women have been literally the backbone, the bedrock, the foundation of the Democratic Party for generations and generations,” he said. “And you have understood issues, and you have understood circumstances, and you have understood moments in time, even when a whole lot of other people didn’t.”
Shapiro has widely been rumored to be considering a bid for the White House in 2028, though he has said he’s focused on winning a second term and flipping the state Senate.
His first priority, if Democrats take control of the chamber, is to sign legislation raising the minimum wage in Pennsylvania to $15 per hour, up from the current $7.25, Shapiro said.
“That’s why our politics matters. That’s why what we’re doing today matters, and that’s why your vote is so crucial in 23 days,” said Shapiro, who holds a commanding lead in the polls.
On Saturday, Shapiro joined U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in Bucks County to motivate voters in support of Democratic congressional candidate Bob Harvie, who is running in Pennsylvania’s 1st District, one of four key swing districts being targeted by both parties.
Parker on Sunday praised Shapiro and called on the audience of mostly Black women to support him, saying he has always made sure they have “a seat at the table.”
“I’m proud to be a Black woman supporting our Governor Josh Shapiro and the entire team that will help us secure a trifecta here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” she said.
