This Saturday, people from all over the country will gather in Montgomery, Alabama to protest the obscene dismantling of the Voting Rights Act. As the Black Power War Room notes, “our oppressors are relics of the past. We are the future. All roads lead to the South.”
LaTosha Brown, Co-Founder of Black Voters Matter, joins Jen to explain why we must act now to demand and build a better future. She explains that organizers and activists have moved beyond asking to be included in racist institutions, because “we’re not asking somebody for a seat at the table, this is our table that we have built.”
Where will YOU be Saturday?
LaTosha Brown is the Co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund and the Black Voters Capacity Building Institute
The following transcript has been edited for formatting purposes.
Jen Rubin
Hi, this is Jen Rubin, editor-in-Chief of The Contrarian. We are delighted to have with us the co-founder of Black Voters Matter, LaTosha Brown. Welcome, LaTosha, it’s great to see you again.
LaTosha Brown
Good to see you again as well. Thank you for having me on.
Jen Rubin
You are at the center of this phenomenal project, All Roads Lead to the South. Tell us how this came together so quickly in the wake of the Callais decision.
LaTosha Brown
You know, I think that there are many groups that several of us have been working together and organizing around events happening in the various states, regional groups, national groups, but a lot of this work has been led by local groups, and so there was local infrastructure and organizations that were already doing work in Louisiana, groups like Power Coalition, in Mississippi, the Mississippi Table, groups that were doing work, already related to this, in Alabama, the Alabama Forward, and… and others that were doing work, and so we were already in conversation and actually working on things together. And so, you know, we wanted to make a call. I had received a call from one of our partners at Fair Fight, and we were talking about we needed to do something.
We needed to bring the level of urgency of this to the national discourse. That was very important for us to do that within the national discourse, and so we started gathering and connecting with people who we had worked with and and everybody just… it wasn’t even a thought. It’s, like, a week at the moment. We was like, this is the moment, that we cannot let this affront happen to our people, to our communities and not have a response that meets this moment.
And so you know, people, organizations, we started gathering, and there were, like, at first, there were 5 organizations, then it was ten. Now we’ve grown to over 122 organizations, national, regional, and local organizations that have signed on and are doing work to mobilize people for this weekend.
Jen Rubin
Exactly, and this is, of course, Alabama, which has such a resonance in the civil rights movement and recalls that era, you have written so beautifully that this is more than just about a midterm election or redistricting in one state. Talk to us about the bigger vision that you have. You’re calling on people to be architects. Architects of what? Tell us about that.
LaTosha Brown
You know, I think that we have to understand that in this moment, let me say this first, that I think in this moment, we’ve got to do two things, you know, or I would say three things. We’ve got to block. believe, and build. And what does that mean? Block? In the meantime, we have to block all of these actions that are happening to unravel our democracy, to marginalize our voices, and to undergird… to make sure that it is taking away the right to vote. I think that we’ve got to block those things, right?
And we do that with protests, we do that with economic actions and a series of tools. We also, though, have to believe that we are deserving of something better. That on this 250th anniversary of America, it is really a time for us to understand that this first season, what we’ve seen, and now with particularly the unraveling of our government, that the courts have been captured and corrupted, that they are no longer a place for us to seek remedy. They’re no longer a place that is as legitimate, as far as I’m concerned, in terms of expecting them to have remedy, that we have seen the White House become, just a, a, a… I don’t even have the words to say for it, but just a mess. I’ll just say for a mess.
Jen Rubin
A mess!
LaTosha Brown
And instead of it serving the interests of the people, it seems like it served the interests of itself. We see Congress, a legislative branch that in many ways has been captured by this same kind of, this effort, and is really deeming itself, in some ways, impotent. It’s not able to protect the people and the communities, and so all of those things that were designed and created within the contextof protecting the interest, quite frankly, of white men with wealth. That those things, as they are seeking to actually unravel all the progress that we made, that what the Constitution says, one of the beautiful things of the Constitution, that what the bill writes… what it says is that in the event that government no longer serves its people. It is the right of the people to change it, alter it, or abolish it.
And so we’ve got to take that seriously around what, as we, the people of this nation, if it is a nation and a government of the people, for the people, by the people, then this is the moment that the people have to rise up and say, no, not on our watch. We’re not going to be a kitty bank for corrupt politicians. We’re not going to let you unravel all the progress that we have made that has made this nation powerful and beautiful. we actually embrace the diversity. That’s what makes us amazing. We embrace the fact that we have communities and people and rights and protection for disabled community… for communities that are protected classes, right, that ultimately, we believe that that is what has given you credibility around being a true democracy. A
nd so, as we go into this next 250 years, we have to shift from seeing ourselves as citizens of a nation that didn’t even have the foresight to actually see its own citizens as part of having what is fair and free and equitable equal opportunities. But we have to actually see ourselves as architects. of the next iteration of this nation, that we, the people, have to create the nation that we desire and that we deserve. And that’s going to be remarkably different, that even for the Voting Rights Act. Part of the reason we’re protecting that, because that is all we had in place to protect us, right? But that was the floor, that was not the ceiling. That when you think about other options that are needed, that there are other things that are needed and major structural change to protect the people that make up this nation.
Jen Rubin
And that’s what I think is so powerful about your movement and your vision. It’s not just about trying to knit back together the little scraps that we had before that this court has taken away. It’s really about… an unlimited vision. What does it take to return us to a true democracy? And your vision is so bold. You look at everything from the courts to proportional representation. Tell us a little bit, excuse me, about some of the things that you think are within our power to change and to get us back on track with.
LaTosha Brown
I think that we have to look at, it’s really interesting. What the courts have sent a message is they care more about parties than they do about people. There’s nowhere in the Constitution that says that this nation is supposed to be in service of political parties, yet we have a Supreme Court that is essentially saying that it is okay to draw lines based on party, but no, you cannot take racial consideration, or you cannot take consideration of people to making sure that we have representation even though the very foundation—the irony of it is the very foundation of this nation was based on, quote, what I was taught in school, you know, taxation without representation. So here, in fact, we’re doing the very same thing that was the impetus, was the driver for the creation.
And so, part of what I think some of the things that we’re suggesting, there are folks that are much, much smarter than I am in this, you know, but I think, one, it is clear that we need court reform, that we’re going to have to have a Supreme Court that is more reflective to the current, the current environment more reflective to the people of this nation, that instead of this just being a weaponized vehicle for political parties, that it should be representing the interests of the people of this nation, and being able to administer justice in that way, which means that we need total court reform.
We’ve seen the court change 6 times in terms of members in the past. People don’t know that, because I was talking to someone the other day, and it was like, well, you can’t change the court, we can change everything and anything.
So I think that that’s one. Secondly, Lonnie Guinier, who it was an amazing law professor, also a political leader and organizer, you know, she talked about proportional representation, and there are other countries that have actually used proportional representation to make sure that protected classes or minority groups have some representation. What’s interesting is that there is some context of that even here in this country. When you look at the state of Maine, the state of Maine actually has three seats that are designated for three different Native, Indigenous tribes that have been in to make sure that they have representation in the State House. We have to look at Ireland has done that. South Africa has done that. That a developing country, we are younger, we’re more diverse, we have to make sure that we have vehicles in place, that we’re not begging somebody, can we have a power at the table? But in fact, we are drawing it in such a way that it can’t be an interpretation, that our rights are protected, and that we’re looking at, like, fusion voting as well, and ranked choice voting.
There’s also a need for universal voting. That in Alabama, that instead of us allowing states to weaponize their processes for deciding what voters can get, can vote or not by creating additional barriers. Oh, we’ll close at 5 o’clock. Oh, we cut off the date two weeks before. There needs to be some universality across the board, so that people who are voting in Michigan have access to the ballot and registration where you have same-day registration. You can also do that in Alabama, in Florida, and Texas, and Mississippi, so that there is literally… we have more consistency around the board and people are not punished based on where they live or their zip code.
We have to also think about new vehicles. One of the vehicles that that I have suggested and been working on for a number of years is the creation of a department of democracy. That we actually need a department, we need a vehicle that is almost quasi, government, really, for people to kind of understand, almost set up like the Federal Reserve. You know, that we would have a quasi-government department, independent. Entity that their sole purpose would be to look to monitor the To have enforcement power, to institute, to provide policy recommendations in the legislative branch, and to monitor how the democratic rights of the citizens of this nation, are being eroded, or threatened, or attacked. We… just like we have a Federal Reserve, to make sure that the monetary system operates, it is clear that we need some kind of vehicle to make sure that our political… that the democratic rights of the citizens of this nation is protected aside from political parties. It should not matter if the Democratic or the Republican Party is in power, whether the weight of my vote is the same. And the truth of the matter is, what we have seen is we have seen the play of politics Impact people and communities, which ultimately impacts our outcomes and our access to resources and policies that will reflect the things that we desire and we deserve.
Jen Rubin
Absolutely. 60 years ago, from Alabama and from the South. the leaders of the movement were able to really tap into the conscience of Americans far away. White ministers in the Northwest, or housewives in Maine, they really were able to reach people. What do you think is the central message, the central key to involving all Americans? This starts in the South, but it’s about all of us.
LaTosha Brown
Well, the first thing I did right… was the day I started to fight. Keep your eyes on the prize, and hold on, hold on. I wanted to start with that, because I do think that is about strategy, but I think it’s about spirit. I think that, ultimately, I think why those brave men and women who, and children, in Selma, Alabama that it was not about the politics, it was really around our humanity. It was really around people having agency that if any decision is being made about me and my family, then I should have a say-so in those decisions being made. Not political parties, not people who don’t see the fullness of my humanity, but I have a fundamental right as a human being to actually have should have access to that. And so, you know, part of what I think… we saw the humanity of people in that movement.
We saw people who approached it from a non-violent frame, not necessarily because they weren’t courageous. In fact, it takes far more courage to be non-violent and maintain rigor and discipline and composure. And in fact, they were the heroes. In fact, what they were able to do is to reveal the evil and the darkness and the racism those who actually attacked them. I think that that requires the same thing in this moment. In this moment, we’re going to have to go to higher ground. In this moment, we’re going to have to really move in a way that we’re not asking somebody for a seat at the table. This is our table that we have built, that we are the people that make this nation, that there is a diverse group of folks all across this nation, Black, White, Latino, Indigenous, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, New Americans, LGBTQ community, our disabled community, that ultimately that who we are as a people is… those, I think, is far, far more people on our side, I know it is, right, that the majority of the people are with us.
That is why they’re going through extraordinary means to cheat in this election cycle, to rig the maps, to undermine the access to the ballot, to do all… to unravel those things that have been protections and checks and balances. So, if that is the case, then we’re gonna have to use all of our power. We’re gonna have to use our voting power. We’re gonna have to use our economic power. Those corporations that have not stood with us, that are actually allowing this to go on, that are continuing to support an administration that is hurting the people and unraveling our rights, we have to go after them as well. We have to use all of our power in this moment to actually push for the America that we desire and we deserve. And what’s the interesting thing is, in this moment. that, you know, while we are deeply, upset with what is happening, and we should be, we should be angry as hell. You know, the… my grandmother always talked about you know, she would always have this phrase, what God meant… what the devil meant for harm, God will use for your good. This is what I am seeing happening in this moment. What I am seeing, even in this movement, and all roads lead to the south. Within 48 hours, there were 30 buses that had registered. The next 24 hours later, there were 70 buses. It’s 110 buses, and it continues to grow. This has been organic. This wasn’t led by a foundation. Quite frankly, this wasn’t even led by one organization.
There are no labels on this. We are moving in the spirit of people. We’re using the infrastructure that we have, we’re using our intellect, we’re using our creativity and our innovation to bring thousands of people together to say, hell no, we won’t go. We are not going backwards. We’re going forward. The people who are leading this effort Quite frankly, they’re relics of the past. They’re times, and they know that. They are the past, we are the future. And they know this, which is why they’re going through those extreme circumstances.
So I would just challenge that everybody that’s feeling some sense of feeling dejected, or feeling a sense of not having hope, no, no, no, no, no, no. Perhaps this is the opening that we need, and the opportunity for us to creat the kind of America that we’ve always deserved, the kind of America that is more reflective of the people that make this country, that have worked hard in this country, that are going day-to-day, going to work, and can’t make ends meet. And that’s all of us. Many of us, all of our communities, no community has not suffered based on the greed and the corruption of those that are in power. I say that to say that this is a moment for us not just to stand up and block, but this is a moment for us to believe, and this is a moment for us to build something that is stronger, that reflects more of the people of this country, and that will serve the people, not special interests, not corporate America, not corrupt politicians, but we can create and envision and be the architects of a new aspect of America, a new nation that will reflect the will of the people.
Jen Rubin
LaTosha, that is so inspiring, and I feel your power, I feel your optimism, and everyone can participate, whether they’re physically going to the South or not. All roads lead to the South. There’s a website. A zillion ways to participate, a zillion organizations. They can also go to Black Voters Matter. It is a phenomenal effort. I wish you all the best. We are going to be metaphorically and physically traveling with you.
We wish you every success, and thank you, thank you for what you’re doing for America, for democracy, and really for humanity, because that’s really what we’re talking about now. So, thank you, LaTosha. We’ll look forward to having you back very often. Take care.
LaTosha Brown
Thank you. Our politics will not save us, but our humanity will, so thank you.
Jen Rubin
Thank you.
