“When Black voters are under attack, what do we do? Stand up! Fight Back!”
Today on the House floor, Representatives Travaris McCurdy (D-Orlando) & Angie Nixon (D-Jacksonville) are leading a protest against Governor Ron DeSantis’ unprecedented manipulation of the Florida Legislature to abdicate their constitutional duty to draft a constitutional congressional map. Republican leaders were slated to pass the Governor’s new proposed map that will rig districts to favor the GOP and slash Black representation in congress before going into recess.
“Today, we stand for freedom, democracy, and protecting everyone’s right to representation so that no matter what we look like or where we come from, we all have the chance to flourish and thrive,” said Representative Angie Nixon. “As if over 20 years of single-party rule wasn’t enough, Republican leaders are willing to lie, cheat, and steal to maintain their stranglehold of power on the state of Florida. I hope America is watching because these attacks on fair representation are coming to your state too. They’ll start with silencing and diminishing my community and then they’ll come for yours if you demand that they work for The People instead of their political ambitions. This has to stop right here, right now.”
“In the words of the late Congressman John Lewis, ‘Where is the heart of this body? Where is our soul? Where is our moral leadership? Where is our courage?’ Today, it was not in this chamber,” said Representative Travaris McCurdy. “By lacking the courage to stand up to Governor Ron DeSantis’ bullying, reject political games, and uphold our duty as legislators to draw constitutional maps, we have totally failed the people of this state. I couldn’t let this day be written about in history as a day we didn’t stand up and fight for what is right.”
“For decades we have told people that their vote was their voice. For our brown and black communities, they have begun to take that to heart and take the right to vote seriously. One man’s political ambition should not cost another man’s freedom, voice, nor vote,” Representative Nixon also stated. “It’s a sad day when the leaders of our state are willing to do everything they can to silence the voice and vote of black people instead of upholding democracy for everyone. As Democrats we will always fight so that all communities have a chance to choose their elected leaders, not the other way around.”
