R2V Statement on Racism and Voter Suppression
Message from Jody Johnson, Board President, on Behalf of Rideshare2Vote: In the wake of the ongoing protests in our country sparked by the murder of George Floyd, Rideshare2Vote supports the efforts of all the Up-standers in Texas and across this country who are making their voices heard that racism in all of its forms will not be tolerated.
We know that combating racism requires a willingness to speak out and actively work for change. Rideshare2Vote was not formed solely to increase Democratic voter turnout in Texas. Our Mission is “To combat voter suppression and increase voter turnout among Democratic voters in Texas”. We know that racism is at the core of voter suppression, going back to the founding of this country when Black men were not fully counted as one whole person. That history continued with the Jim Crow laws passed after the Reconstruction period to deny Black people the civil rights won through the Civil War. One of the biggest blows to voting rights in recent years was the 2013 landmark United States Supreme Court decision, Shelby County v. Holder, in which the Court gutted the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In part, Voting Rights Act required certain states, including Texas, to obtain preclearance before implementing any changes to their voting laws or practices. Since that ruling there has been a continuous assault against voting rights, that primarily impacts African-American communities. Their polling places have been closed, early voting periods have been cut, voter rolls purged, strict voter ID law implemented, and voter registration efforts impeded.
Black people are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Republican leadership in Texas fights daily to keep people from being able to vote by mail in the upcoming primaries and the General Election. Although their efforts impact everyone, make no mistake that it is race-based.
Rideshare2Vote will continue to do what we can to reach out to communities of color and provide them free roundtrip transportation to and from polling locations during early voting and on election day, in a way that is CDC compliant. If you are watching the news in shock and disgust, and wondering what you can do to combat racism, I urge you to partner with Rideshare2Vote. We are completely dependent upon donations to run our free service and we need your help. Make a donation at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/r2v2020. If you are willing to volunteer to be a driver for us, whether it’s one shift or many, sign up on our website www.Rideshare2Vote.com
Jody L. Johnson, Rideshare2Vote Board President
