For Immediate Release
June 26, 2023
BATON ROUGE, LA – Following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling restoring a federal court’s decision that Louisiana’s congressional lines may have diluted the power of Black voters in the state, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, a litigant in the case, released the following statement:
“For years, redistricting and voting rights organizers have advocated for fair and equitable legislative maps,” said Ashley K. Shelton, president and founder of the Power Coalition for Equity & Justice, and a member of the Black Southern Women’s Collaborative. “Today, the Supreme Court affirmed the importance of fair maps and sent our case back to the lower court, a move that could mean the creation of a second minority-majority district.”
“This decision proves that when we fight, we win. It proves that when we dare to defend democracy, we build power not just today but for future generations,” Shelton added. “Certainly, we still have a long way to go but this ruling is a step in the right direction. We must continue organizing, educating our communities, and preparing to vote en masse each time we can do so.”
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