Virginia native Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins grew up watching her mother work as a television news anchor, but it never dawned on her that she’d one day follow in her footsteps.
The NAACP’s commitment to justice and equality has been a constant influence, shaping Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s perspective on democracy and inspiring her to champion these principles at every stage of her career.
This past weekend, our campus, region, state, and nation celebrated the 95th birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As the holiday approached, it is important to reflect on not just the personality of the man, but the principles he lived by.
To further resist the threat of authoritarianism, we must lift up young leaders who will be democracy’s champions for this and future generations. People For the American Way’s Young Elected Officials Network is celebrating the election of young leaders as new members of Congress from across the country: Greg Casar from Austin, Texas; Emilia Sykes from Akron, Ohio; Maxwell Frost from Orlando, Fla.; Summer Lee from Braddock, Pa.; Robert Garcia from Long Beach, Calif.; Sydney Kamlager from Los Angeles, Calif; and Jasmine Crockett from Dallas, Texas. Dozens more were elected to local and state offices, building a crucial leadership pipeline.
Despite new laws to keep people from voting and gerrymandering election districts to take away the power of minority communities, the Republican “red wave” that pollsters predicted ahead of last week’s midterms didn’t happen.
Help all eligible people know about their right to vote – especially those impacted by the justice system.
We need to acknowledge the impact of racism, sexism, violence, and plantation capitalism in nearly every facet of American life even as we’ve advocated for democracy.
When the Congress no longer works under the Constitution that created it, then we have “deconstructed democracy” in favor of autocracy.
San Diego County was one of the first to overwhelmingly report a vote against the recall and it only went downhill from there for the recall supporters.
On the 58th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, marchers focused on voting rights. Voting rights have reemerged as a somewhat unexpected political battlefield as Republicans across the country pass new laws placing barriers in front of the ballot box.
The threat of the COVID-19 Delta variant has become more apparent. And what was once the looming possibility of reinstating pandemic public safety guidelines is becoming reality. As this is happening, California lawmakers are pushing a number of bills to expand the use of various telecommunication options for public meetings.
Seba Malcolm said it, we saw it and history has proved it. Indeed, he taught that “of all our studies, history is best qualified to reward our research.” Likewise, Dr. W. E. B. DuBois stated that “We can only understand the present by continually referring to and studying the past.”
And there was Sen. Tim Scott (R) of South Carolina responding to Pres. Biden’s address to the nation, dismissing the seriousness of racist encounters, trying to reason away racism, and calling for a “common sense and common ground” he failed to show or share.
Bernice A. King joined the children of late civil rights champions the Rev. C.T. Vivian, and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, in blasting voter suppression laws that have cropped up since the 2020 election.
So, for me, 2021 is about hope and about working for a better life for all and a better nation together as we rise from the terrible test that 2020 has been. It is about recommitting to one another and to good works to help our brothers and sisters in need. And even before we voted for inclusion, we were already making good trouble. White, Black and Brown nationwide took to the streets this past spring and summer to ask our nation — to demand of our nation — that we address the systematic racism that has plagued this country since its founding. That has torn the very fabric of our country and created so much pain and loss. With one voice, all were saying: ‘Please, at long last, fix this.’” — Ray Curry, Secretary-Treasurer, UAW