Dear Family And Friends:

Today, I write to you from a place of historical recognition and that all battlefields are not on hills, but are in the chambers of the heart, in the deep wells of the mind, and the soul of people and our nation. It is my goal to be relevant, to inspire, to use my authentic voice, and utilize the power of the pen/typed word to uplift and lead from another perspective.

Enslaved Africans To Holding Up The Walls

The crucible of slavery was a global, historical, and legal act. According to historians, it existed on all seven (7) continents, six (6) depending upon how one defines “continent.” Civil Rights Activist Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer said, "The flag is drenched with our blood." I say, “There are blood stains on the Stars and Stripes, the Stars and Bars, and every state flag in this nation. Lest we forget."

The grandchildren of former enslaved Africans have tapped into the political psychological mood of mankind and womankind. They, we, have rechanneled the thoughts of the nation and world to the power of hope and joy. These days will not close the book of agonizing problems within the African American community, but it feels good to have a leader who has an interest in our radical destiny of both concepts.

After thirty-two (32) hours from the time the 46th President Joseph R. Biden stepped aside, the 49th Vice President Kamala Harris moved at warp speed to secure the Democratic nomination. For approximately one hundred (100) days, she mounted one of the most pivotal, breathtaking, and multibillion dollar presidential campaigns on the planet. One of the shortest was U.S. Senator George McGovern (South Dakota), who won the Democratic nomination one hundred nineteen (119) days before the 1972 General Election. The longest being U.S. Senator John McCain (Arizona), who won the Republican nomination two hundred forty-five (245) days before the 2008 General Election.

This election season is special! We know we are on the eve of equal justice among and between the sexes which is incorporated in every phase of society. Women's personal safety, bodily autonomy and integrity will be normalized. Social barriers will be torn down, and equal treatment will be built up. Sex discrimination will be a memory, and a new political mandate that is greater than the Equal Rights Amendment shall be a reality. And, the underpinning of this nation is solid with a woman holding up the walls.

We cannot tarry long over the jubilation and celebration of electoral politics. I charge every Democratic state chair to keep the gas pedal down on November 6, 2024, and henceforth now and forevermore. On January 1, 2025, we will be halfway through the decade and a quarter into the twenty-first century. The Republican machine has not tapped the brakes for a moment. Let us keep in mind:

a.Reapportionment is coming.

b.Midterm elections are coming.

c.The ousting of Republican state legislators across the South is coming.

Ms. Sonya Wilburn-Massey

On July 6, 2024, the nation was affected by a modern-day lynching. The extralegal violent abomination cast a shadow of lawlessness on law enforcement. The murder of Ms. Sonya Wilburn-Massey felt like Arkansans and other Americans who have been victims of police brutality like: Sgt. Thomas Foster, Mr. Marvin Williams, Mr. Terrance Caffey, and Mr. Bradley Blackshire, Jr., Ms. Breonna Taylor, Mr. Tyre Nichols, Mr. Elijiah McClain, Mr. Eric Garner, Mr. Laquan McDonald, Mr. Mike Brown, Ms. Sandra Bland, and children—Mr. Trayvon Martin and Mr. Tamir Rice. There was an outrage to the crime committed in large part by white police officers against African American men, women, and children. The terror and trauma infected in communities of color must come to an end in a peaceful and legal manner now.

We can awaken the moral standing of Arkansas, Illinois, and America in a new way. Legislation is essential to liberation. That is an initial step to deliver the country from these horrific nightmares. The Arkansas State Legislature and the Illinois State Legislature must pass its own form of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and end qualified immunity. Furthermore, the passage of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act will spread new wings over both states and country when it comes to representation opportunities, eradication of racial gerrymandering, and multilingual voting materials and procedures.

Additionally, favorable decisions of Simpson et al. v. Thurston and Christian Ministerial Alliance et al. v. Thurston, and overturning of the Arkansas State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People et al. v. Arkansas Board of Apportionment et al. cases are critical to political change and power shifts for the state.

Arkansas, Illinois, and America can build and rebuild transparency and have honest recognition of past and present obstacles as we become a more just, fair, and equal citizenry. Ms. Sonya Wilburn-Massey shall be in our national conscience today as we shine a light on the most pressing issues of our time.

Significant Days In Presidential Politics Beyond November 5, 2024

According to the National Archives, there are several key dates which will test the validity and reliability of our constitution. We will see new presidential immunity granted by the United States Supreme Court to the 46th President Joseph R. Biden.

By December 11, 2024—States issue Certificates of Ascertainment

(at least six days before the meeting of the electors)

Your State's Executive prepares seven Certificates of Ascertainment. Immediately after the election results in your State are certified, the Executive sends one of those original Certificates of Ascertainment to the Archivist.

December 17, 2024—Electors Vote in Their States

The electors meet in their respective States and vote for President and Vice President on separate ballots. The electors record their votes on six Certificates of Vote, which are paired with the six remaining Certificates of Ascertainment. The electors sign, seal up, and certify six sets of electoral votes. A set of electoral votes consists of one Certificate of Ascertainment and one Certificate of Vote.

December 25, 2024—Electoral Votes Arrive

Electoral votes must be received by the President of the Senate and the Archivist no later than the fourth Wednesday in December. If votes are lost or delayed, the Archivist may take extraordinary measures to retrieve duplicate originals.

On or Before January 3, 2025—Archivist Transfers Certificates to Congress

As the new Congress assembles, the Archivist transmits sets of Certificates to Congress, as requested. This generally happens when the Senate does not receive its set of Certificates on time. The transfer occurs in late December or early January when OFR’s Legal staff meets with representatives of the Secretary of the Senate, the Clerk of the House, and Congressional Parliamentarians.

January 6, 2025—Congress Counts The Electoral Votes

Congress meets in joint session to count the electoral votes. The Vice President, as President of the Senate, presides over the count and announces the results of the Electoral College vote. The President of the Senate then declares which persons, if any, have been elected President and Vice President of the United States.

If any objections to the electoral votes are made, they must be submitted in writing and be signed by at least one-fifth of the members of the House and one-fifth of the Senators. If objections are presented, the House and Senate withdraw to their respective chambers to consider the merits of the objection(s) under procedures set out in Federal law. Only two grounds for objection are acceptable: that the electors of the State were not lawfully certified under a Certificate of Ascertainment, or that the vote of one or more electors has not been regularly given.

If no Presidential candidate wins at least 270 electoral votes (a majority of the 538 available votes), under the 12th Amendment to the Constitution the House of Representatives decides the Presidential election. If necessary, the House would elect the President by majority vote, choosing from among the three candidates who received the greatest number of electoral votes. The vote would be taken by State, with each State having one vote. (The District of Columbia does not vote because it doesn't have voting members in the House of Representatives.)

If no Vice Presidential candidate wins at least 270 electoral votes (a majority or the 538 available votes), under the 12th Amendment the Senate elects the Vice President. If necessary, the Senate would elect the Vice President by majority vote, choosing between the two candidates who received the greatest number of electoral votes. Each Senator would have one vote.

January 20, 2025 at Noon—Inauguration Day

The President-elect and Vice President-elect take the Oath of Office and become the President of the United States and Vice President of the United States, respectively.

Vigilantes Inc. Movie

The film Vigilantes Inc. directed by Mr. Greg Palast is an epochal one. Its setting is the political and voting rights battleground state of Georgia. The narrative is captured in that place, but it applies to southern history holistically. I encourage all of my readers to watch with boldness and preparedness to transform this nation through the ballot box.

Tennessee, Mississippi, And Arkansas

Recently, one my colleagues asked jokingly, “Where is my citizenship card?” I burst into laughter, because I have lived and worked across the entire nation. My politics are equal in measure. I have been working behind the scenes this election to lend a hand, a heart, and an ear to what and who matters the most to me.

Tennessee is my birth state. Please reach out to the Metropolitan Davidson County Democratic Party to help [email protected]. I am an adopted daughter of Mississippi. Please contact Ms. Sandra McCall at (601) 317-1141, top organizer and leader of the U.S. House of Representative Bennie Thompson (MS-02) campaign to hold signs at the polling places.

Lastly and often first in my heart is Arkansas. Wow is an understatement. I am so proud of the tremendous and historic work that is happening under the leadership of Democratic Party Chair Grant Tennille. Over seventy thousand (70,000) doors knocked on statewide and record number of Democrats ran for local, state, and federal offices. The get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts is remarkable!

Sadly, threats of political violence came to Mr. Kwami Abdul-Bey, a critical member of the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (Jacksonville Branch), and was a co-plaintiff of a racial gerrymandering case in the state; in addition to being a Democratic Candidate for State House District 69. The situation has implications for what the state and nation may experience over the coming days and weeks as a result of Democratic wins. Violence or the threat of it has no place in the sociopolitical fabric of the state of Arkansas. And, it is everyone's duty to give it no safe harbor.

Voter Protection

If there are any issues with regard to voter protection, please contact 1-866-Our-Vote, the Transformative Justice Coalition at 1-833-TJC-Vote, and www.SaveYourVote.org.

In solidarity,

Dr. Quintessa Hathaway

2022 Democratic Nominee

118th United States Congress (2023-2025)

Arkansas' Second District (AR-02)

Founder, Chief Executive Officer, And Lead Consultant

Q. Hathaway And Associates, LLC