John, this Black History Month, Common Cause is reflecting on the tremendous strides our country has made – thanks to hard-won grassroots advocacy – toward guaranteeing the right to vote for all of us – and how far we have left to go.
This month marks the 153rd anniversary of ratifying the 15th Amendment – which barred state and federal governments from denying or abridging the right to vote "on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”
Yet recently, we’ve seen a massive wave of attempted voter suppression from state legislatures across the country – led by extremists pushing anti-voter bills that target and would disproportionately hurt Black voters and other minority communities.
This battle isn’t new to us – or to any of our allies in the voting rights space. Since Common Cause’s founding in 1970, we’ve been dedicated to fighting for our democracy – taking key cases to the Supreme Court to combat racial and partisan gerrymandering, calling out the Big Money forces trying to influence our elections for their own gain, and protecting voters against disenfranchisement and misinformation.
We cannot have a fair and functional democracy without dismantling the systems of oppression designed to silence Black people. So this month and every month, we’re committed to centering racial equity in everything we do.
As our national and state advocacy centers equity in our fight for a democracy for all, this work continues internally as well – in our efforts to center the needs and perspective of Black staff, we have built a new People, Equity, & Inclusion team, implemented new racial awareness and allyship trainings for white staff, and are continuing internal conversations to ensure racial justice remains a focus in every aspect of our pro-democracy work.
This month, we’ve highlighted Black changemakers on our social media platforms – you can visit our Facebook page for quotes from Amanda Gorman, Alice Walker, and more.
John, the theme of this year’s Black History Month is Black resistance – a timely theme as our nation combats oppression and anti-Black bigotry on all levels, especially in the work to create a more just democracy.
On our Democracy Wire page, we’ve posted an overview of some of the work we’ve been doing to support Black resistance – investing in the next generation of changemakers, fighting against the racist mass incarceration system, and stopping racial gerrymandering.
You can also read more about the legacy of Black resistance and the importance of holding power accountable as we work for pro-voter legislation.
I hope you’ll continue resisting the anti-Black, anti-democracy forces we’re up against – and join us in the work for a fair and equitable democracy.
With thanks for all you do,
Alyssa Canty, Director of Youth Programs
and the team at Common Cause
