Young Black Lawyers’ Organizing Coalition Releases People’s Brief On The John Lewis Voting Rights Act

Brief is a tool to build community momentum for federal legislation to restore the Voting Rights Act

As Congress considers federal voting rights legislation, the Young Black Lawyers’ Organizing Coalition (YBLOC) released a People’s Brief on the John Lewis Voting Rights Act recently. Designed to be a community education tool, the brief traces the narrative history of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and discusses, in a clear and accessible way, how the John Lewis Voting Rights Act would restore the landmark legislation and revive its critical voting rights protections.

“The goal of this brief is to empower all Americans with the information they need to be effective ambassadors for the John Lewis Voting Rights Act,” said Abdul Dosunmu, the founder and chief strategist of YBLOC. “In order to ensure the restoration of the Voting Rights Act and its urgent voting rights protections, we must take the conversation directly into the heart of our communities, clarify the stakes, and mobilize people power. That is what this document aims to do.”

This People’s Brief is being released at a critical inflection point for Black voting rights. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, there are 389 pro- posed voter suppression bills in 48 states. The John Lewis Voting Rights Act would help combat this troubling tide of voter suppression bills by restoring key provisions of the Voting Rights Act.

The brief was crafted with community stakeholders in mind. As leaders engage their communities around voting rights issues, this People’s Brief will be an important community education and empowerment tool.

The Young Black Lawyers’ Organizing Coalition (YBLOC) is a nonpartisan, community-centered movement of young Black lawyers and law students working to protect and empower Black electoral voice through voter education, strategic advocacy and impact litigation. We work in collaboration with grassroots Black communities to fight for full access to electoral democracy and to realize full electoral voice.