L-R U.S. Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) and Yvette D. Clarke (D-N.Y.)

U.S. Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) and Yvette D. Clarke (D-N.Y.) made history on Tuesday when they announced the formation of the first ever official Congressional Caucus On Black Women And Girls. The organization is one out of the over 400 congressional caucuses that currently exist.

“Black women and girls are disproportionately affected by myriad [of] socioeconomic issues that diminish their quality of life and threaten the well-being of their families and communities,” Rep. Kelly said in a release.

The caucus was inspired by Ifeoma Ike and her work with Black and Brown People Vote, and organization of which she is the co-founder. Ike is also part of a collection of women who also inspired the caucus, including Nakisha M. Lewis, Tiffany D. Hightower, Shambulia Gadsden Sams, Sharisse Stancil-Ashford, Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever and Sharon Cooper, who lead in the #SheWoke committee.

Ike and her associates plan to work with Coleman, Kelly, and Clarke to address the needs of black women and girls.

“We want to get everyone, including our sisters, aware of where we statistically fall within these issues. Knowledge is definitely power,” Ike told The Huffington Post. “We’re looking at this space as one of idea-sharing and policy creation. We’re making sure we’re included as a demographic that deserves to be addressed.”

The launch reception of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls will be held on April 28 in Washington, D.C.