Dear John,

Here’s a quick story about Edward Brooke, the first-ever Black U.S. senator elected by popular vote. He served his country in World War II as a member of the United States Army. But when he came home, he couldn’t find a place to live because landlord after landlord turned him down because of the color of his skin. Segregation ran rampant in Brooke’s community — so Brooke ran for office. Making fair housing his central issue, he won.

As a U.S. senator, Brooke focused on alleviating segregation in housing and went on to co-author the Fair Housing Act. This landmark piece of civil rights legislation was intended to end segregation and redlining and make sure everyone could access a place to call home.

The Trump administration recently announced a rule that would significantly undermine the Fair Housing Act and in doing so, exacerbate segregation in housing. The new rule, proposed by Trump’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), would remove requirements for jurisdictions and housing authorities to proactively combat segregation and barriers to fair housing in their work.

Even though the Fair Housing Act was passed over 50 years ago, segregated communities are still rampant today. And if our government doesn’t continue to direct our institutions and our communities to proactively end segregation in housing, it will continue for another 50 years.

Fair housing is a racial justice issue. It’s also a gender justice issue.

Women face systemic barriers to fair housing. Unless HUD takes proactive action to make housing fairer for people of every gender, we will fail women and girls. When we fail to maintain older public housing buildings, we fail to invest in the women and children who disproportionately live in public housing. When we fail to invest in fair housing protections, we will fail the trans and gender non-confirming people who face pervasive housing discrimination. When we fail to stop landlords who refuse to accept housing vouchers as proof of income, we will fail the women who beat the odds and received a housing voucher but are still denied housing. And when we fail to address segregation, we fail the Black and brown women and girls who live at the intersection of these barriers.

In his speech to his fellow senators, who were split on whether to vote for the Fair Housing Act, Senator Brooke said: “Fair housing is not a political issue, except as we make it one by the nature of our debate. It is purely and simply a matter of equal justice for all Americans.”

Housing remains a matter of equal justice for all people, particularly for women and Black and brown people. By submitting a comment today against HUD’s proposed rule, you can help slow down this attempt to undermine anti-segregation efforts and help make sure everyone has a roof over their heads.

In solidarity,