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COMMENTARY: Voting Matters! It’s Not Too Late

WASHINGTON INFORMER — Election deniers and suppressors are working overtime to ensure that our vote is nullified or diluted. We must respond in such large numbers that we overwhelm and thwart their efforts, until we gain the political power to overturn their suppressive voter restrictions. Their goal is not to ensure governance through a democratic process, but to take control in an autocratic manner. While they shout about election abuse, their intent is to use abusive tactics to maintain control. Let’s be clear, they are afraid of losing in open and fair elections.
The post COMMENTARY: Voting Matters! It’s Not Too Late first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 year ago

November 8, 2022

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By George H. Lambert Jr. | Washington Informer

The 2022 midterm elections are perhaps the most consequential in our lifetime. While similar declarations are made every voting cycle, this is especially true this year. Whether abortion rights, criminal justice, human rights, health care, or a plethora of others, each election cycle has its share of issues that take prominence and precedence over others.

This year, none is more important than the preservation of our democracy. While we have major issues that demand our attention, it is quite possible that if we do not vote now to save our democracy, then we will have little or no hope for addressing any of the issues that are important to us, such as equal rights, equity, and yes, the economy. If we lose our democracy, we have no hope of pursuing them through a democratic process.

Election deniers and suppressors are working overtime to ensure that our vote is nullified or diluted. We must respond in such large numbers that we overwhelm and thwart their efforts, until we gain the political power to overturn their suppressive voter restrictions. Their goal is not to ensure governance through a democratic process, but to take control in an autocratic manner. While they shout about election abuse, their intent is to use abusive tactics to maintain control. Let’s be clear, they are afraid of losing in open and fair elections.

As we continue declaring to the world that our lives matter, we must remind ourselves of the one fact that gives life to this declaration, it is the fact that voting still matters. Not just because many people died for the precious right to vote, though that alone is enough and worth fighting for, but voting still impacts the political decisions which determine nearly every aspect of the quality of our lives.

According to a 2022 Pew Research Center article, “Key facts about Black eligible voters in 2022,” by Mohamad Moslimani, Black Americans are projected to account for 13.6% of all eligible voters in the United States in the November elections. This is political power. Power to determine outcomes in critical races.

The National Urban League declares that “For African Americans, full voter participation isn’t a goal; it’s a necessity.” In the 2022 NUL State of Black America, Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League wrote “… and since the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, the United States has seen a steady rise in disenfranchisement practices giving one party an edge over the other. But never before has the nation seen such an insidious and coordinated campaign to obliterate the very principle of ‘one person, one vote’ from the political process.” NUL’s Reclaim Your Vote session examined the stakes and the opportunities for African Americans as this year’s election season enters its final stretch.

Here at the Greater Washington Urban League, we loudly and boldly urge Black, brown, marginalized and underserved persons everywhere, to vote. Through a discussion on our radio broadcast, and voter registration and participation messages through our auxiliaries, the Greater Washington Urban League Guild and Thursday Network, we are using our voice to urge you to vote.

But here’s what you can do! It’s not too late for you to start your own get-out-the-vote effort! Here are four simple things you can do to be a part of this movement:

Cast your vote – if you have not already participated in local early voting, then start your campaign by declaring to yourself that nothing will stop you from voting whether through early voting (if it’s still possible in your area), or on Election Day.
Urge your relatives and friends across the nation to vote – contact your personal network and urged them to vote. While you cannot vote in other communities across the nation where our vote is critical, you can and must contact persons in your own network who live in states with key races across the nation. Call a relative, call a friend, and ask them to vote.
Use your social media influence. You are an influencer and have followers who will be motivated by you to exercise their right to vote. Use your social media platform of choice – Tik Tok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, to reach as many persons as you can.
Encourage every person in your network to conduct their own individual “get out the vote initiatives.” As you reach out to your family, friends and associates urging them to vote, ask them to take steps, two and three above, just as you will. Collectively, we can determine the outcome of critically close elections across the country.

Our strong appeal to you, is to urge every person you know to vote their interests. Tell them not to waste energy on candidates and organizations that have never shown an interest in our issues.

Who are we if we fail to carry the torch to save not only ourselves but future generations? We don’t want to be that generation that failed to act to save our democracy, protect our rights, and end our ability to have control over our destiny. While not perfect, a less perfect union is unacceptable!

Lambert is president and CEO of the Greater Washington Urban League.

The post LAMBERT: Voting Matters! It’s Not Too Late appeared first on The Washington Informer.

The post COMMENTARY: Voting Matters! It’s Not Too Late first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

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