June 26, 2020

The Latest

Team, so much is going on, and through it all, we cannot lose sight of the November election, just four months away. Since the last edition of Worth Fighting For, COVID-19 cases have spiked as cities and states reopen; primary elections continue to forge ahead during the pandemic; the Supreme Court has issued landmark decisions for the LGBTQ+ community and DACA recipients; and rallies demanding racial justice have continued across the country. While all this is happening, the clock is still ticking down to this year’s pivotal election. In the third edition of our newsletter, we’re sharing the latest from Team Tom, plus resources for you to get ready to vote for real change this fall.

📰 With so much on the line this November, Republicans have ramped up their voter suppression efforts. Tom co-authored a column with Bishop Doctor William J. Barber II to discuss the state of voter suppression in the United States and how it’s used as a tool of white supremacy against communities of color. Take a look.
🎙 To mark Juneteenth, Tom spoke at a virtual celebration with Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles County Board Supervisor and founder of African American Voter Registration, Education, and Participation (AAVREP). The event focused on protecting voting rights and the importance of the November election in addressing racial injustice.
🔎 In a recent interview, Tom said California’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery looks at every decision from “a standpoint of equity, of racial equality, of moving for shared prosperity and creating opportunities for people who have been very, very short of opportunities and have been the subject of structural inequality.” Watch the interview and learn more here.

Action Toolkit

Last edition, we shared the White Fragility video featuring Professor Robin DiAngelo. To continue this topic, our team is reading “When you walk into the valley” by John Metta to better understand how conversations about race must be a mutual effort. Read along with us.

Support Black-owned businesses and encourage others to do the same. Help reach the $5 million goal by July 6. Click here to learn more.

Worth a Review:

The GOP is attempting to leverage the pandemic to win elections. Republicans claim that voting by mail leads to more fraud, with absolutely zero evidence to back it up. (Did you know that you are more likely to be struck by lightning than encounter an instance of voter fraud?)

At the same time, one of the presumed methods to address the COVID-19 medical concerns has been to drastically decrease polling locations. This has created a situation where voters — Black and Latino voters in particular — have to travel further and wait longer, making it impossible for some to cast a ballot. We’ve already seen this during the Wisconsin, Georgia, and Kentucky primaries, and they’re potential harbingers of trouble this November.

In recent elections, communities of color have been critical voices in securing victories for progressive change. If we want that to continue — and if we want just, sustainable COVID-19 recovery and meaningful action on racial injustice — we must ensure everyone has safe and easy access to the ballot box. During a public health crisis, that means the ability to vote by mail and measures to keep our in-person polling locations safe. No one should have to choose between health and their right to vote.

Take the time today to check the absentee ballot deadlines in your state and make sure you apply to vote by mail today.

Tom’s take: “As demographic shifts have challenged the Republicans’ white base of support, they’ve sought to win national elections by denying participation to Democratic voters. Though voter suppression has been a quiet tool of Republican administrations for decades, opposition to an expansion of the franchise has become a clear talking point for the Republican Party in 2020. This assault on voting rights is an attack on the very idea of American democracy and its promise of equality for all.”

Be Inspired: Listen to Black Voices

HBCU Wall Street Podcast provides solutions for increasing financial literacy and economic opportunities in the Black community, starting with students and alumni from Historical Black Colleges and Universities. (Tom joined earlier this year!)

Code Switch is a podcast by NPR that tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between.

And so many more! Click here for more recommendations.

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