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Big news this week, John. Pennsylvania’s new legislative maps are lawful and ready to use in upcoming elections for the next decade. In the March 16th PA Supreme Court ruling, a four page court order [[link removed]] declared the new lines (approved last month by the Legislative Reapportionment Commission) are constitutional.
The PA Supreme Court’s ruling confirms that courts matter. The new maps give opportunities for new voices to rise and lead. The approved House map gives communities of color a chance to elect leaders who look like them, value what they value, and experience life in Pennsylvania as people of color do.
We commend Chairman Nordenberg and the Commissioners for a fair process. Pennsylvanians should be proud that we’re moving a step closer to a more representative and reflective democracy. Now we hope the people show up to polls this May and November and make their voices heard.
NPP IN THE NEWS AND ON THE AIRWAVES
Axios Hard Truths: Episode 7 - NPP’s Kadida Kenner, The New North Carolina Project executive director Dr. Aimy Steele, and Georgia gubernatorial candidate, New Georgia Project's co-founder Stacey Abrams discuss their strategies to focus on voter registration and education on the latest Axios Hard Truths podcast. Listen to the full episode here [[link removed]] .
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The Stacey Abrams voter turnout blueprint (Yahoo! News)
The voter engagement movement Stacey Abrams spearheaded has proven so successful that it has inspired new groups built on her model and made fundraising easier for others.
Read more >> [[link removed]]
Black Pa. voters delivered a Biden win in 2020. In 2022, they want 'receipts' for his work (York Daily News, also seen in Bucks Courier Times and Lebanon Daily News)
It's become a reliable part of campaign season to see a candidate stump in Pennsylvania's Black communities, often while making small talk and big promises.
But some Black leaders say once the election ballots are cast, those candidates seem to leave faster than they arrived.
"They ask for our vote, and then we don't see them again," said Kadida Kenner, executive director of the Lemoyne-based New Pennsylvania Project, a nonprofit that works to get more state residents registered to vote. [[link removed]] Read more >> [[link removed]]
How We Fight For A #JusticeForAll: Why I've Taken Action on Supreme Court Fights (People For the American Way)
Kadida Kenner explains why she's taken action on Supreme Court fights in the past - and what groups on the ground are doing to support the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Watch the full video interview here [[link removed]] .
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New milestone achieved:
Team NPP registered over 1,000 new voters in February!
Even in challenging weather conditions, our growing staff and dedicated volunteers made it happen. Now it's your turn to make a difference, go out and register someone to vote this weekend.
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Reminder: It's time to request your mail ballot
You can vote by mail for this upcoming primary election on May 17th. Vote by mail works for Pennsylvania. 2,616,012 Pennsylvanians were able to vote safely and securely in 2020 thanks to Pennsylvania’s landmark vote-by-mail law, Act 77.
Learn more about voting by mail [[link removed]] .
Vote By Mail [[link removed]]
Voter Registration Lookup [[link removed]]
Register to Vote [[link removed]]
#TWEETOFTHEWEEK
Celebrating West Chester’s own!
"The proof that one truly believes is in action." - Bayard Rustin
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STATE AND LOCAL NEWS
State Supreme Court upholds new House and Senate maps
After considering appeals to Pennsylvania’s new state legislative maps, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the maps comply with redistricting principles outlined in both the state and U.S. constitutions and will remain in place for the next decade.
Read more in City & State PA [[link removed]]
Supreme Court Allows Court-Imposed Voting Maps in North Carolina and Pennsylvania
State courts had ruled that earlier maps for congressional elections had been warped by partisan gerrymandering. Democrats stand to benefit from the justices’ decision.
Read more in The New York Times [[link removed]]
State courts had ruled that earlier maps for congressional elections had been warped by partisan gerrymandering. Democrats stand to benefit from the justices’ decision
In 1966, the first Black woman to sit on the federal bench began her service to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The federal judiciary’s been around for 233 years, but since Constance Baker Motley made history 56 years ago, only about 70 other Black female judges have marked similar career milestones.
Read more in Bucks County Courier Times [[link removed]]
A landmark Philadelphia School District board resolution could help get its 18-year-olds to register to vote
After three years of youth advocacy, the Philadelphia school board is poised to pass a landmark voter education resolution codifying citywide efforts to register all 18-year-olds to vote and encouraging all students to be civically active.
Read more in The Philadelphia Inquirer [[link removed]]
Upcoming Events
[link removed] [[link removed]] Rally in Support of The Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson | Saturday, March 26, 11:00 a.m.
Join The PowerUp Foundation and the PA Democratic Black Caucus for a rally in support of The Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson this Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 11:00am at Dilworth Plaza in Philadelphia (Rain or Shine!)
[[link removed]] March Volunteer Opportunities: Last Saturday Canvas
Join us for this month's last Saturday canvassing in one of three locations near you:
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Norristown
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Volunteer
In-Person
Voter
Registration
Drive
(everyaction.com)
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Pittsburgh
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Volunteer
In-Person
Voter
Registration
Drive
(everyaction.com)
[[link removed]]
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Coatesville
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Volunteer
In-Person
Voter
Registration
Drive
(everyaction.com)
[[link removed]]
[[link removed]] Truth Tellers Live Returns March 31
Kadida, Erika, and Angelique return for another insightful Truth Tellers Live on Thursday, March 31st at 1:30 p.m. Don't miss this virtual discussion streaming live on NPP's Facebook Page [[link removed]] . [[link removed]]
The Policy Corner: Income Inequality
Over the last 40 years, income and wealth has become increasingly more unequal in Pennsylvania like it has in the United States as a whole. Living through a global pandemic has only exacerbated this inequity.
Pennsylvania has one of the most upside down tax systems in the country where people at the bottom pay two times more than people at the top. The top 1% of Pennsylvania families, those with an average income of $1.6 million/household, pay 6% in state and local taxes. Whereas the lowest 20% of Pennsylvania families with an average income of $13,000 pay 13.8% and the middle 20% of Pennsylvania families with an average income of $54,000 pay 11.1%. According to a report by Americans for Tax Fairness, Health Care for America Now and PA Budget and Policy Center, the collective wealth of Pennsylvania’s thirteen billionaires jumped by $4.3 billion between March 2020 through January 2021. Over those same ten months, over two million hard working Pennsylavnians lost their jobs due to COVID-19.
Not only does Pennsylvania have an upside tax system where the top 1% continue to increase their wealth while so many Pennsylvanians continue to struggle, including many holding more than one job, Pennsylvania corporations are also taking advantage of our tax system through loopholes that allow them to essentially pay no corporate taxes.
Of the corporations that operate in Pennsylvania, 73% pay no corporate taxes, and are mostly giant, multinational businesses. Multinational corporations that are based outside the state arrange their books so that they show no profits in Pennsylvania. Instead, they show their profits in Delaware and other states that don’t have corporate taxes.
When you register to vote and make your voice heard by showing up and voting in every election, twice a year, you are voting your values. The candidates that you vote for can create the policies to address income inequality in Pennsylvania.
Help us reach our goal to register 50,000 voters in the Commonwealth
We can't do this important year-round work without you.
Will you help us defend democracy by expanding the electorate in Pennsylvania?
Invest in our democracy [[link removed]]
Volunteer with Us [[link removed]]
Make a Plan to Vote [[link removed]]
The New Pennsylvania Project is a 501(c)(4), contributions are not for charitable purposes and are not tax-deductible.
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