Friend,

If your inbox looks like mine, you have already received a lot of messages about Black History Month. The truth is that this month has become more and more commercialized and it gives me heartburn to see so many institutions miss the connection between today’s struggle to protect our freedom to vote and the racial justice challenges of yesteryear.

As we close out the first week of Black History Month, it’s essential that we remember the intended purpose of dedicating a month to honoring the lives and contributions of those who came before us. This month isn’t about commercialization. It’s not about fundraising. It’s about honoring our ancestors and cherishing our communities.

Black History Month gives us time to celebrate and remember the people and events that have shaped our country and the world. It is critical that we study and apply the lessons from the activists who marched before us. These freedom fighters left a blueprint for defending our civil rights and we need their wisdom now more than ever to stop Jim Crow 2.0.

Jim Crow 2.0 is our current reality, and it’s happening in states across the country. The fight against voter suppression is happening at the local level—and we need you with us. Whether it’s fighting on the frontlines or helping from home however you can. This movement hinges on the hard work and contributions of voters across race, zip code, and economic status.

Visit StopJimCrow2.com [[link removed]] today to learn how you can get involved and take action in the communities that need it most.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 protected Black people from discriminatory voter registration laws, particularly in southern states. 65 years later, Republican legislators are blocking voting rights bills, attempting to ban drop boxes, removing mobile voting centers, and limiting food and water for voters in hours-long lines. At the same time, anti-voter conspiracy theorists are fueling increasing threats to election workers. Standing by is not an option.

We must take action based on the lessons we have learned from the past. After all, these tactics are not new; they are from the same playbook as the segregationists of years past. This is why we know that—without collective action—politicians will continue to pass extreme anti-voter laws that block access to the ballot box and dramatically undermine our democratic institutions.

Let’s be clear: Our nation has a long history of voter intimidation, suppression and disenfranchisement. Yet the activism of those who risked their lives to fight back runs just as deep. Black History Month reminds us that we have come too far to turn back now. With your help, we can protect the progress we have made as we continue the march onward. It is up to us to see it through.

Thank you for all you have done to help protect the freedom to vote, and for standing with us in the months ahead.


In solidarity,
—Cianti Stewart-Reid
Executive Director of Fair Fight Action

unsubscribe: [link removed]
Fair Fight Action
1270 Caroline Street, NE
Suite D120-311
ATLANTA, GA 30307
United States