Built on a foundation of stolen land and labor, the U.S. was shaped for generations by the vision and voting of predominantly wealthy white men. From 19th Century laws that explicitly barred Black people from the polls to the racially targeted voting requirements in many states today, casting a ballot remains a privilege not a right for many Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities. 

And yet, we know racial justice is the work of generations. Our BIPOC ancestors fought for our right to vote because participation and self-determination are critical steps toward our liberation. We all deserve the right to influence and elect leaders who make decisions that impact our daily lives—from having clean air to breathe to having dignified housing for our families. And history has proven again and again that when BIPOC communities mobilize around our interests and our visions, we have the collective power to create change. 

That’s why voter suppression continues today. Like the generations of wealthy white men before them,  prejudiced political and corporate interests want to silence our voices to maintain unjust systems that extract profit from our oppression. But, like the movements before us, we continue to dismantle their barriers, amplify BIPOC voices and reclaim power everywhere we can to shape our own futures. 

At Voices for Racial Justice, we recognize that voting is one way, among many, to ignite our solidarity and engage our communities to take action. We hope this project helps to move us closer to a true democracy — one centered on and defined by racial justice — by growing the capacity of community organizations to engage BIPOC residents this election season and beyond.