Recently President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law. According to The White House, this law will “rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails, expand access to clean drinking water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and invest in communities that have too often been left behind…”. We believe that these promises will not be fulfilled unless legislation is passed to restore and protect voting rights for all American citizens.
To allow voter suppression and to cause Americans to lose their political franchise is both politically destructive and economically destructive. History has proven that when people’s right to vote is suppressed, their economic opportunities are limited.
Some of this country’s most glaring examples of voter suppression disenfranchising communities of color can be found in the Jim Crow era. A few examples of this socio-political disenfranchisement:
- Banks were allowed to “redline” communities, and prevent African Americans from buying homes.
- African American farmers were prevented from receiving agricultural grants and loans that were readily given to white farmers.
- African Americans were shut out of government contracts.
These are just a few examples. In fact, most of the economic disadvantages suffered by BIPOC and low income communities have been preceded by political disadvantage. There can be no real economic development without political franchise.
Devotion USA is working with community members and organizations to advocate for legislation that will prevent the obstruction of any American’s right to vote. Visit this page to let your representatives know that you’d like them to support the restoration and the protection of voting rights for all American citizens.
