Friend,
For far too long, those who call Washington D.C. home have been denied a vote in Congress, and the ability to govern locally without the threat of targeted and politically motivated interference. This injustice particularly disenfranchises Black people, who have been a plurality of D.C.’s population for generations, and whose culture is the heart and soul of the Chocolate City.
Black lives matter, we must support D.C. statehood. Add your name here.
This has been an injustice in our democracy for centuries, but the fight for D.C. statehood has become more urgent over the past few months. Congress intentionally used D.C.’s lack of statehood earlier this year to deny its access to full COVID funding, despite having one of the highest concentrations of confirmed cases.
And on Monday, June 1, President Trump deployed the National Guard and U.S. Marshalls in D.C. neighborhoods to round up hundreds of people peacefully protesting police violence in the wake of the police killings of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black people across the country. Trump has also suggested federalizing local law enforcement in order to take violent action against peaceful protesters in D.C.
D.C. residents bear all the responsibilities of full U.S. citizenship—they serve on juries, serve in the U.S. military, pay taxes, and work hard to build safe, strong communities where they live. And yet, the more than 700,000 people - mostly Black and Brown people - who call D.C. home have no vote on any decisions our Congress makes every day. With a population larger than Vermont and Wyoming, D.C. residents deserve full representation in both the House and Senate.
Tomorrow there is a historic vote in the United States House of Representatives. The bill H.R. 5803 that grants D.C. statehood is likely to pass, but it’s imperative that we keep pressure on as the companion legislation is introduced in the United States Senate. We must ensure that federal lawmakers in both chambers pass this overdue civil rights bill for D.C. residents.
Let’s show up for the residents of our nation’s capital. They deserve equal representation in our federal government and the fundamental right to self-govern. This is what democracy looks like. All power to the people.
For Future Generations,Rev Yearwood
President & Founder
Hip Hop Caucus
Hip Hop Caucus
1638 R Street, NW #120, Washington, DC 20009