| NEVER TOO YOUNG AND NEVER TOO OLD TO PURSUE DEMOCRACY!
On July 17th, the League of Women Voters joined The Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC), Black Voters Matter Fund, Public Citizen, ACLU, Declaration for American Democracy, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and Concerned Black Men as part of the John Lewis National Day of Commemoration and Action. There were over 83 'Good Trouble' community-based actions and candlelight vigils held across 28 states and Washington, D.C. These events celebrated the extraordinary legacy of Rep. John Lewis and called on Congress to pass the Freedom to Vote Act, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the Native American Voting Rights Act, and the DC Admissions Act. There were two events held here in Jacksonville, one focused on bringing in younger voters and speakers and the other focused on engaging our seasoned voters.
Throughout our nation's history, there has always been a bit of a challenge between older and younger voters, political office candidates and campaign organizers. But we need to remember that there's enough work and room for everyone who wants to contribute to the work.
As a student, John Lewis organized sit-ins at segregated lunch counters in Nashville, TN and was a key player in organizing bus boycotts and other nonviolent protests to support voting rights and racial equality. In 1963, when he became Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), he was just 23 years old but was already a highly respected leader who followed the philosophy of reconciliation and nonviolence and had been arrested 24 times in the nonviolent movement for equal justice. As chairman of SNCC, he was one of the "Big Six" leaders who organized the March on Washington and being the youngest speaker, was charged with providing the response to President Kennedy's 1963 Civil Rights Bill. Fellow speakers that day were Whitney Young, A. Philip Randolph, James Farmers, Roy Wilkins, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Rep. John Lewis continued his work towards a better democracy, voting rights, and racial equality until his death at age 80.
"In line with Representative John Lewis' vision of a just democracy, these four pieces of legislation will fight vicious voter suppression across America, safeguard the freedom to vote, eliminate political gerrymandering, reduce the influence of money in politics, and make Washington DC the 51st state of our country!," added April Albright, General Counsel for Black Voters Matter Fund.
While doing voter outreach or engaging with candidates and campaign organizers, remember that one can never be too young or too old to care about our nation's voting rights, racial equality, free and fair elections, or our democracy. For democracy to work for all of us, it must include us all, no matter our race, age, ethnicity, language, or ability.
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act will restore and strengthen the 1965 Voting Rights Act, repair damage done by the Supreme Court, and modernize the most successful civil rights law in history. Prevents racial discrimination in voting; Stops states with histories of voter suppression from passing laws that make it harder for Black Americans and people of color to vote; Reinforces the rights of groups and individuals to challenge voter discrimination and gerrymandered voting maps that dilute the voting power of people of color. |