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Hello friends,
As we recognize Black History Month, I hope you will give me a moment to explain what’s at stake in this election, and why I believe that winning Teresa’s race for the United States Senate in Georgia is the next step toward achieving a fuller measure of social and civic equality that is America’s promise.
My name is Francys Johnson. Very early on in my life, I realized that law is a crucial path to make the changes that our country so desperately needs. Growing up as a young Black man in the deep South, there weren’t that many people in the legal field who looked like me or grew up in communities like mine.
But through hard work, the support of my family, my faith, and those who believed in me, I would go on to become the president of the Georgia NAACP. I learned a lot from the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, and one of those lessons is that we don’t make progress and shatter barriers alone. Our NAACP leadership sought to build bridges with younger activists from the Black Lives Matter movement and keep the doors of opportunity open for those who follow in our footsteps.
I’ve had up close and personal experience overseeing the NAACP’s public policy agenda and voter defense litigation as the Southeast Regional Director in so-called “red” and “purple” states – Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. I know what it will take for Georgia’s next U.S. Senator to deliver not only for her constituents but for the cause of racial and social justice across the South.
I’ve seen Teresa Tomlinson in action as mayor of Columbus. She has been fearless in addressing tough issues like race, inequity, and injustice because of her faith in government with good public stewardship at its helm. That is precisely the prescription to cure our societal ills at a time of unprecedented corruption, mistrust, and social division.
As a practicing attorney, theologian, and educator, I have studied these issues from every angle. Barriers remain that must be dismantled and our fundamental rights, like accessing reproductive care and accessing the ballot box, are being taken away from us.
Black history IS American history. And it is because of our rich history and the struggles of the generations before us that I refuse to sit on the sidelines as our rights are eroded and the voices of our communities silenced.
When I read the news today, I see hundreds of thousands of people being struck from the voter rolls, a two-tiered criminal justice system, and a government that can be bought and paid for by corporate donations. I see the same challenges that those before me have worked to overcome — A. Philip Randolph and Martin Luther King Jr., Andrew Young and Henry Aaron, and the many bright young activists who are doing the work now to invite everyone to participate fully in our democracy and hold our leaders accountable.
From the courts to Congress, progress depends on what WE do in Georgia. I have complete faith that Teresa will work tirelessly to address the inequities in our country and be a leader who will open the doors of opportunities for women, people of color, and women of color who just need that one opportunity to change the world.
In that spirit, will you join me by making a contribution to Teresa’s campaign today? Every single donation is an investment in a brighter and more hopeful future, not only for us but for future generations:
I’m looking forward to coming on this journey with you, having Teresa’s back – and each other’s – every step of the way.
I remain,
Francys Johnson
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