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I’m Bradley Heard, a Deputy Legal Director at the SPLC and I’m deeply passionate about ensuring everyone — especially historically disenfranchised Black voters — can exercise their sacred right to vote. Hi friend, I’m Bradley Heard, a deputy legal director at the SPLC, and I’m deeply passionate about ensuring everyone — especially historically disenfranchised Black voters — can exercise their sacred right to vote. When the Jacksonville, Fla., city council’s redistricting maps packed Black voters into just four of 19 districts in north and west Jacksonville, I knew the SPLC needed to put a stop to this egregious attack on Black voting power. The SPLC Voting Rights Practice Group filed a lawsuit on behalf of several Florida voting rights groups to challenge those redistricting maps as racially gerrymandered and violative of the Fourteenth Amendment and the city’s charter. Last month, the Jacksonville City Council voted 15-3 to approve a settlement agreement in our redistricting challenge, Jacksonville NAACP v. City of Jacksonville. After we secured fair redistricting, Black voters exercised their power by electing the candidate of their choice in a newly configured district. This victory is something to celebrate; however, our work is far from finished. Fair elections are under attack across the country — now is the time to show your support for the SPLC’s work. Will you rush a special gift to multiply the SPLC’s impact ahead of the 2024 elections? The Jacksonville city council’s racial gerrymandering is not an isolated incident. A growing number of local and state governments are deploying voter suppression tactics, threatening the cornerstone of our democracy and the rights of millions of voters. The road ahead will be tough, but I can assure you that the march will continue until every voters voice is heard. Sincerely, Bradley Heard
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