On Saturday, advocacy organization Black Voters Matter gathered in D.C. with other political advocacy organizations to demonstrate and garner support for voting rights.
The goals of the rally, which was held in front of the Capitol building, included passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, passing the For the People Act, and granting Statehood to Washington, D.C.
Black Voters Matter was joined by representatives from National Organization for Women (NOW), the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund, NAACP’s D.C. chapter, and dozens of other groups.
The rally was the last in an eight-day “votercade” from Louisiana to D.C., referred to as the Freedom Ride for Voting Rights.
Currently, more than 40 states are considering legislation to restrict voting rights. Voting restrictions disproportionately impact marginalized communities, especially Black communities, and often aim to curb the Black vote in favor of conservative politicians.
If passed, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act will restore a provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that required states with a discriminatory history against Black voters to get approval from the Justice Department before changing voting procedures. The For the People Act addresses multiple voting rights issues, including voter access, campaign finance, election security, and ethics.
“Democracy is non negotiable for us,” said LaTosha Brown, one of the organizers of the event. “We’re still going to do everything in our power to push for this. One man or one session is not going to shut it down for us.”
Sources: Washington Post 6/26/21; The Hill 6/26/21
