MEDIA ADVISORY
June 25, 2021 Media Contact: press@now.org
SATURDAY 6/26: NOW Joins Black Voters Matters in Washington, D.C. to Welcome the Freedom
Riders and Continue the Fight for Voting Rights
Washington, D.C. – The National Organization for Women (NOW) is joining Black Voters Matter Freedom Rides for Voting Rights as they make their final stop in Washington, D.C. Sixty years ago, the original freedom riders fought for the soul of America and for the belief that everyone deserves to be treated equally. The fight for democracy continues to this day, with the continued threat of Jim Crow-era bills that attempt to restrict voter access, particularly for Black voters.
But this coalition of activists – including NOW, Black Voters Matter, and other national organizations – is coming together to push back against the systemic racism that disproportionately denies the freedom to vote to communities of color. With Black voters increasingly under attack, we’re urgently sounding the alarm for the need for a more equitable voting rights system in America. From the fight for D.C. statehood to advocating for critical federal legislation such as the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, we are building an unstoppable movement to once and for all restore Black voting power in this country.
What: Rally for Voting Rights: Black Voters Matter Welcomes Freedom Riders
When: Saturday, June 26, 2021, at 1:30 PM EST
Where: National Mall (between 3rd and 4th Streets) and online at Facebook
Media: If you are interested in connecting to Christian F. Nunes, national president of NOW, please contact press@now.org
Who: National NOW President Christian F. Nunes will be a featured speaker along with others including –
- Akosua Ali, President of NAACP DC
- Barbara Arnwine, President, and Founder of Transformative Justice Coalition
- Mayor Muriel Bowser, District of Columbia
- LaTosha Brown, Co-founder of Black Voters Matter
- Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA)
- Jamal Holtz, Lead Organizer for 51 for 51
- Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)
- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
- ….and more