John,
On Thursday night, I witnessed one of the most historic speeches to be given in my lifetime.
At Clark Atlanta University, Elizabeth Warren addressed a crowd of HBCU students and told the story of the historic Atlanta Washerwoman strike of 1881, where black washerwomen, who were less than a generation out of slavery, walked off the job to demand higher wages and to be treated with dignity. This strike began with just 20 women, but by the end, 3,000 women joined their ranks. And despite the threat of eviction, fines, and arrest, nevertheless they persisted — and won — sparking a movement that spread across Atlanta, as Black cooks, Black maids, and Black nurses began to reclaim their power.
Warren's speech then powerfully talked about the struggles of Black history — from slavery, to Jim Crow, to the 1994 crime bill — and how we can take those lessons of the past to the fights we have yet to win.
Warren called for passing Medicare for All, canceling student debt, and investing 50 billion in Historically Black Colleges and Universities. But that's not all, because she gave voice to the violence against Black women, and in particular Black trans women, which is an epidemic that we don't talk enough about. She talked about repealing the Hyde Amendment, passing a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, voter suppression, and YES, she talked about reparations.
She also called on us to honor Aiyanna Stanley Jones, Rekia Boyd, Korryn Gaines, Sandra Bland, and Atatiana Jefferson by reforming our criminal justice system including repealing the 94 crime bill, legalizing marijuana, ending cash bail and private prisons, and undoing the legacy of the War on Drugs.
No matter who your candidate is, Warren's speech in Atlanta was so important to our long term movement. So if you haven't seen this incredible speech yet, I strongly encourage you to give it a listen. Then share it with everyone you know.
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One line that stood out to me in particular, was when she said, “Black history teaches us that the only way to win is to get in the fight.” Now let's get in the fight, and win.
In love and resistance,
Nelini Stamp
Working Families Party
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