Dear Friend, 

With only weeks until the election, we must continue to ensure that Black and brown communities are not only able to vote, but can do so safely and fairly as part of the larger movement for racial justice. The urgency for this is not new: for decades, systemic and institutional racism has prevented Black, Indigenous, and PoC (BIPOC) communities from voting through gerrymandering, voter suppression, and threats to their safety and lives.

Please join us on October 22nd for a new webinar on #RaceAnd the Vote 

Amid a pandemic that has claimed over 200,000 American lives, a summer of uprisings, and a vacancy on the Supreme Court, this election presents an opportunity for our movements to build upon decades of organizing victories led by BIPOC communities and spontaneous mass actions. 

Race Forward joins its partners at the local and national levels to combat the false narratives around “fraudulent mail-in ballots” and “riots” that will be used to justify militarism and violence in advance of potential protests following the election. In this webinar, we’ll work together to call for a safe and fair election that protects BIPOC communities and to develop scenarios and solidify plans to respond to the results of the 2020 election. 

#RaceAnd the Vote will be a virtual online presentation that will explore the connections between race, racial justice efforts, and the elections. Though a race-explicit lens, participants will learn how to:

• Build a shared analysis and understanding pertaining to historical racist structures in elections and the necessity of a racial justice strategy led by BIPOC communities. 
• Connect with partners working to address white supremacy, protect voter safety, ensure a fair election, and prepare a collective organizing strategy. 
• Talk about how to dispel the narrative of “rioting” and “fraudulent ballots”, and ground ourselves in a vision of organizing during elections that centers the power of BIPOC collective action.

Join us on October 22nd, because it’s never race alone. It’s always #RaceAnd. 

If you have any questions, or would like more information on our #RaceAnd series, please contact us at [email protected] for more information. 

In Solidarity, 

The Race Forward Team