Led by Tina Knowles-Lawson, the mothers of Black people lost to police violence have joined forces with other celebrities to sign a letter calling on congressional leaders to put their differences aside and take tangible steps in addressing some of the country's most pressing issues by the passing The HEROES Act.
A release sent to Blavity, which included the letter, highlights the landmark Supreme Court case Shelby County v. Holder, which Knowles-Lawson said "gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and upended decades of progress."
"Over the past seven years, states and localities have reverted to discriminatory practices that restrict the voting rights of Black, Brown, Native, and Asian American people and have put up unnecessary roadblocks to the ballot," Knowles-Lawson wrote.
Knowles-Lawson pointed out widely covered incidents in Georgia, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania where people in majority Black districts were often forced to stand in long lines and wait hours to vote, all while other districts had relatively hassle-free experiences.
She added that many Black people she has spoken to in recent days feel hopeless and that she believes the bill can help people focus their energy toward voting people into office who can address the country's pressing issues.
