As the United States celebrates Juneteenth, the commemoration of African American freedom, Vice President Kamala Harris is spotlighting the efforts of a Florida nonprofit as it launches a "Day of Action" to combat voter suppression.
Harris penned a letter to Equal Ground Education Fund, a statewide group dedicated to protecting the voting rights of Black Floridians. She praised the organization for its prior work and offered well-wishes in its current and future efforts.
"I am honored to offer my warmest greetings to those gathered today for Equal Ground Education Fund Inc.'s statewide day of action," she wrote.
"I commend Equal Ground Education Fund's dedication to empowering Black voters and fostering civic engagement across Florida. As you all know, the freedom to vote is fundamental. Our democracy is stronger when everyone participates, and it is weaker when anyone is left out. Thank you for your tireless efforts to uplift some of our Nation's historically underserved communities and address critical issues, including voting rights, health care, climate change, and more.
"Across our nation, extremists have attacked the sacred freedom to vote. This not only harms voters in every state but also disproportionately harms Black voters throughout Florida. Please know that President (Joe) Biden and I stand with you in protecting this fundamental right. We will continue to fight to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act — federal legislation that would expand voter registration and voting access while fighting discrimination.
"I am proud to join you on this Juneteenth — one of our National Days of Action on Voting — as we continue to fight to build a better, more just America. Together, we can create a brighter and more equitable future for all."
According to Equal Ground, recently passed Florida laws such as SB 7050, SB 524 and SB 90 have led to the purging of nearly 450,000 Black voters from vote-by-mail rolls. The group said it's now mobilizing more than 100 volunteers statewide to counteract that trend.
"Today, as we commemorate 159 years since enslaved Black people across the country were freed from slavery, we also live with the reality that extreme lawmakers are rewriting that very history and working to silence us just like they did nearly 160 years ago," Equal Ground Interim Executive Director Genesis Robinson said in a statement.
"As an organization that has been at the forefront of the fight for issues that impact the Black community, we could not be more humbled by Vice President Harris' acknowledgement of our work, and we could not be more steadfast in our dedication to ensuring that Black Floridians have all of the rights, freedoms, and power afforded to every other Floridian.
"This Juneteenth, we are continuing our efforts to combat attacks on Black Floridians and voter suppression tactics the best way we know how: reaching out directly to our community. No matter what extremist lawmakers do, our community will not be silenced and our resilience will not be broken."
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