Friend --

As the great-granddaughter of a suffragist, I wanted to reach out today to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

Women's suffrage was a pivot point in history. But it didn't begin and end in 1920. Women of color like myself effectively had to wait another 45 years until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to secure the right to vote. And this generations-long civil rights fight still continues today.

As A.G. Holder once said, we have made significant progress advancing voting rights -- but our struggle is not over.

We're facing systemic challenges this election season -- from vote-by-mail obstacles to polling location closures -- and once again women are on the front lines trying to protect voting in our communities. That's why I want to take a moment and thank the generations of women who fought and continue to fight for the right to vote.

So today I'm thinking about my great-grandmother Rose and her comrades. She marched, protested, and organized women to sign up to vote in Philadelphia during her days as a suffragist. Her work inspires me -- that's why I'm asking all eligible voters to commit to casting their ballot this fall. Will you join me?

-- Raffi