Discrimination

On June 25, the League's CEO Virginia Kase Solomón joined Black Women Leaders and Allies and the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation for their Voting Rights and Reproductive Justice call to action. Her remarks, and a full stream of the event, can be found here.

The Voting Rights Act was originally passed in 1965 as one of the chief legislative accomplishments of the civil rights movement. Since then, it has safeguarded the right to vote, guarding against discriminatory voting practices such as literacy tests and racial gerrymandering.

But the VRA is on shaky footing in 2022, facing opposition both in Congress and at the Supreme Court.

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women have always been an integral part of the voting rights movement. From opposing sexist and racist legislation to expanding the freedom to vote, the following five women are just a few of the many icons you should know about.

The 2021 redistricting cycle was the first one without the full protection of the Voting Rights Act. Without federal oversight, many states and local municipalities have used this advantage to implement racially gerrymandered maps, i.e. district lines that limit the voting power of voters of color.

As we celebrate Black history and commemorate many great leaders — both the known and unsung heroes of our time — we must also remember that the struggle to protect voting rights continues.

From Ida B. Wells to Stacey Abrams, Black women have played a pivotal role in the advancement of voting rights. Although there have been obstacles along the way, Black women as a collective power are a force to be reckoned with. While Black women are not a monolith in any shape or form, they have and continue to use their voices to make progress on many issues, especially voting rights.  

The Native women of Haudenosaunee played a vital role in the women’s suffrage movement. Their way of living — equal participation in their government and societal roles — heavily influenced the movement’s early stages. 

LWV of the US and LWV of Georgia issued the following statement in response to a jury finding Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William "Roddie" Bryan guilty of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15) is a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Hispanic and Latina Americans. This month, I want to highlight four trailblazers who’ve fought for the rights of women and paved the way for the next generation of civil rights activists.   

On July 1, in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, the Supreme Court dealt a significant blow to the freedom to vote. The decision held that Arizona laws discounting ballots cast out of precinct and banning nonrelative neighbors or friends to deliver mail-in ballots did not violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965, despite these laws’ negative effects on Black and brown voters. It is a major loss for voting rights at a time when this sacred freedom is under attack across the nation.