This summer, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, a coalition of community-based organizations that promotes civic engagement across Louisiana, started holding monthly “Sleeves Up” vaccination events. These gatherings, typically held at a church, community center, or apartment complex, offer games, food, and other incentives to encourage people to get vaccinated....

For Immediate Release: December 14, 2021  Lake Charles, LA– On Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at the Tritico Theater at McNeese State University, legislators will continue the Redistricting Roadshow at 5:30 P.M. CST. This is the final stop on the roadshow in 2021. This is an opportunity for legislators to hear comments and testimony from the public about the redistricting process.   Political Redistricting happens every 10 years after the census and is an opportunity to draw new political district boundaries based on population changes. The goal of redistricting is to create equitable and competitive political districts. Historically, Louisiana communities of color have had little say in the way their communities are mapped or represented. Despite the state being over ⅓ people of color, only 1 of 6 Congressional districts are represented by a person of color.  Community members can attend the Redistricting Roadshow to learn more about the redistricting process, testify...

Power Coalition Makes Redistricting Grants to Encourage Equitable Redistricting Process For Immediate Release: December 6, 2021  New Orleans, LA– Power Coalition for Equity and Justice is providing mini-grants to support small nonprofit organizations, churches, social clubs, and neighborhood groups across the state organizing their communities around the redistricting process. The grants support hosting community listening sessions, town halls, text and phone banks, and mobilizing communities for a fair and just redistricting process. “Redistricting has been a north star for our equity work,” says Power Coalition Founder and CEO Ashley Shelton. “When people live in fair and equitable political districts they are more likely to be able to elect candidates of choice and make sure that their voices are heard and their needs are reflected.” Despite having a population that is over 31% Black and increasing populations of color across the state, the majority of Louisiana’s elected officials are white. Louisiana...

COVINGTON — State lawmakers on Tuesday heard from many north shore residents who were eager to have new political maps drawn and said they no longer want to be represented by a congressional district that is concentrated in the New Orleans suburbs south of Lake Pontchartrain. ...

After years of doing taxes the same way, Louisiana voters beginning Saturday are being asked to decide if the state should head in a different direction. Forty-three parishes, like Orleans, are choosing local leadership or deciding propositions, like East Baton Rouge, which is seeking to renew a property tax that funds the local city buses....

For Immediate Release: November 12, 2021  Voters across the state can cast their ballot for Constitutional Amendments and local races on Saturday, November 13 from 7:00am-8:00pm.  Baton Rouge, LA– Every voter in the state has the opportunity to cast their vote during the election on Saturday, November 13. The ballot has 4 statewide Constitutional Amendments and many parishes and towns have local races on the ballot, including the New Orleans City Council and Mayor.  Polling locations will be open from 7:00am to 8:00pm. Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, a civic engagement organization, is encouraging voters affected by Hurricane Ida to check their polling location ahead of time because many have been moved, they say.  Power Coalition will be providing rides to the polls on election day. Voters who need a ride can call: (504) 612- 1513 or sign up at pcej.org/PowerRides.  “It is important to vote in every election,”...

For Immediate Release: November 9, 2021  Alexandria, LA– On Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at the LSU Alexandria Ballroom, legislators will continue the Redistricting Roadshow at 5:30 P.M. CST. This is the 4th stop on the roadshow where legislators hear comments and testimony from the public about the redistricting process.   Political Redistricting happens every 10 years after the census and is an opportunity to draw new political district boundaries based on population changes. The goal of redistricting is to create equitable and competitive political districts. Historically, Louisiana communities of color have had little say in the way their communities are mapped or represented.  Community members can attend the Redistricting Roadshow to learn more about the redistricting process and can testify about communities of interest and how they would like to see political districts drawn in their area.  “The Redistricting Roadshow is an opportunity for individuals and communities to engage their legislators...

After years of doing taxes the same way, Louisiana voters beginning Saturday are being asked to decide if the state should head in a different direction. Forty-three parishes, like Orleans, are choosing local leadership or deciding propositions, like East Baton Rouge, which is seeking to renew a property tax that funds the local city buses....

Storm water had moved a tomb near the front door. When the door was opened a snake slithered out from the accumulated marsh grass. Jumping out of the way, Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s only thought was “nope.”...

Ashley Shelton, Executive Director of the Power Coalition of Equity & Justice, discusses redistricting in Louisiana. By Ashley K. Shelton Originally published in Word in Black When any storm makes its way into the Gulf, one of my greatest fears is always that history will repeat itself. An overwhelming sense of concern came over me as I watched Hurricane Ida grow in strength and head into the Gulf. I thought to myself, “This cannot be happening again.” I have been organizing at the local, state, and federal levels for more than 16 years. I have seen a clear pattern from my work in disaster recovery that communities of color are often left behind in the recovery process. For those of us in Louisiana, we will not let history repeat itself. We can no longer live in a long-term state of resiliency, and we must change the pattern of never being made whole...

A coalition of major civil rights organizations demanded Monday that Louisiana legislators redraw election districts to increase the chance that a second Black person can be elected to Congress....

Redistricting is the hot topic at the State Capitol these days, and it should be. The outcome of the redistricting special session, which is tentatively set for February, will impact almost every government decision for the next decade....

A coalition of major civil rights organizations demanded Monday that Louisiana legislators redraw election districts to allow for the chance that a second Black person can be elected to Congress....

‘It’s always urgent when it’s about vote, voice and power’ Climate change, a major concern of this week’s United Nations General Assembly, affects people across the globe through immigration, food production and the economy, to name a few. But as Ashley K. Shelton tells Mary C. Curtis, climate change is also spurring voter suppression. Shelton, who leads the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and is a founding member of the Black Southern Women’s Collective, is turning her attention to policies that need to be in place to ensure that Americans disproportionately affected by devastating weather events can fully participate in democracy....

OPINION: It is imperative that groups seeking to offer humanitarian relief direct funds to grassroots groups who are clNonprofits and churches are always the first, and often the only, to step up and provide basic needs during disasters....

Power Coalition for Equity and Justice is a group of community-based organizations that work together to educate and empower voters across Louisiana. Through their voter engagement and community organizing work, the Power Coalition seeks to unify community voices into a stronger, more cohesive force that can successfully advocate for an agenda of shared values and issues....

The word resilient is one that has been oft-used to describe those of us in Louisiana who survived Hurricane Katrina. A description one finds in media spectacles, political assurances, and academic studies. However, this notion of resiliency overlooks all those who lost homes and lives, those who did not make it and those who could not return, those who could not withstand or recovery quickly, and those who don’t get recognized at all despite their resilience....

For Immediate Release: September 8, 2021  Baton Rouge, LA– On September 8, ten days after Hurricane Ida made landfall, Governor John Bel Edwards approved Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s emergency election plan, pushing the fall elections back by a month. The primary election will now be Saturday, November 13 and the runoff election will take place on Saturday, December 11.  “We want to thank the Governor and Secretary of State for making this decision,” says Ashley Shelton, CEO of Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “Recovery from this devastating storm needs to be the priority of our communities right now. By delaying the election we can ensure that more people will be able to participate in democracy.” The Secretary of State’s office cited damage to polling locations, displaced election workers, and that the storm affected 42% of the state’s voters as drivers of this decision.  “There are 4 statewide Constitutional...

For Immediate Release: September 7, 2021  New Orleans, LA– Power Coalition for Equity and Justice is on the front lines of Hurricane Ida response, amplifying the work of community partners and organizers. In times of crisis, directly impacted people know what they need and Hurricane Ida is no different. Throughout Southeast Louisiana we have seen an outpouring of support from neighbors, faith leaders, community organizers, and community members who know how to respond to each other’s needs. To aid in these efforts, Power Coalition regranted over $150,000 to grassroots organizers and mutual aid groups on the ground in the first week of hurricane recovery. “We are proud of our ability to regrant dollars to the community and know that there is a grassroots infrastructure that has been built so that we are responsive to community needs immediately,” says Ashley Shelton, Founder and CEO of Power Coalition. “We are steeped in...

“WE CANNOT EXCUSE THE SUFFERING OF MARGINALIZED PEOPLE AS A MATTER OF FATE; IT IS A MATTER OF POLITICAL WILL,” SAYS ASHLEY SHELTON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE POWER COALITION FOR EQUALITY AND JUSTICE....

“It is imperative that groups seeking to offer humanitarian relief direct funds to grassroots groups who are closest to the pain of marginalization,” says Ashley Shelton, executive director of the Power Coalition for Equality and Justice....

Entergy New Orleans customers could end up paying higher electricity bills to cover the cost of repairs from Hurricane Ida  — but how big of an increase they’ll see would depend on whether the local and federal governments agree to foot some of the bill, the company said Wednesday. ...

Ahead of a host of local and municipal elections, the Black Southern Women’s Collective, today urged marginalized communities to demand that their elected leaders prioritize their voices and concerns. The Black Southern Women’s Collective is a network of Black women organizing in the South to improve the material conditions of Black people. Several members of the collective – Nse Ufot, executive director of the New Georgia Project; Pastor Rhonda Thomas, executive director of Faith in Florida; and Ashley Shelton, executive director of the Power Coalition in Louisiana –issued the following statement:...

Today, one day after the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I cannot help but reflect as Ida ravishes our state. This storm comes as our region faces the worst impacts of a fourth surge of COVID-19, the Delta variant, exacerbating joblessness, food, and housing insecurity.  I have always been struck by the inhumanity of these storms; they always hit at the end of the month when working class folks are forced to choose between evacuating and paying bills. The utter destruction of all that they have worked to build is cruel, but the storm is the first slight. The rebuilding process is the next, and given the strained supply chain, rebuilding is always more difficult than it looks ....

A Louisiana judge on Thursday rejected a request for a preliminary injunction that would have required the state to resume participation in several federal pandemic unemployment programs....

For Immediate Release: July 19, 2021  Shreveport, LA –Louisiana’s vaccination is still lagging behind other states in the nation. Despite a slow start, people continue to get vaccinated due to increased understanding of the vaccine in communities, increased access to the vaccine, and now a shot at a million dollars.  Power Coalition, the Louisiana Department of Health, and other partners have been knocking on doors, texting our communities, and calling people across Louisiana since April to get people vaccinated. The Bring Back Louisiana campaign is ensuring that people know that they are eligible for the vaccine, where they can get it, and answer any questions about the vaccine.  “There is still hesitancy in the community about vaccines but we have found that having conversations with people, listening to their concerns, and building trust are ways that we are breaking through and getting more people vaccinated,” says Power Coalition for Equity...

For Immediate Release: July 15, 2021  New Orleans, LA–Since April 2021, Power Coalition has been a part of the Bring Back Louisiana campaign to get more Louisiana residents vaccinated. Baton Rouge, LA–Yesterday, voting rights advocates joined Governor Edwards to sign two new democracy expanding laws into effect.  Act 365 extends early voting for Presidential elections in Louisiana, increasing the early voting period from 7 days to 11 days. Across the country, the average length of early voting periods is 19 days with some states having as many as 45 days.  Act 22  increases the amount of time that voters have in the voting booth from 3 minutes to 6 minutes. After 3 minutes, voters could be asked to leave the voting booth regardless of whether they had completed the ballot, putting some populations, such as elderly people, people who speak English as a second language, or those with learning disabilities...

For Immediate Release: July 12, 2021  New Orleans, LA–Since April 2021, Power Coalition has been a part of the Bring Back Louisiana campaign to get more Louisiana residents vaccinated. The Louisiana vaccination rate is one of the lowest in the nation at just over 35%. We lag behind other states in vaccination rates for a number of reasons but Power Coalition and our partners remain dedicated to doing everything that we can to meet community members where they are.  Power Coalition has over 50 canvassers working throughout the state. These are experienced canvassers with deep roots in the communities they are contacting. They have worked during election seasons and are from the areas that they work in, a key in elections and an important component of convincing vaccine hesitant populations to get the vaccine.  “People are more likely to feel comfortable getting vaccinated if they trust the people giving them...

When Lakeisha Brown knocks on doors to talk about the coronavirus vaccines, she anticipates tough conversations. Oftentimes, folks are confused or scared of the jab. They have plenty of questions but few opportunities to get answers. “I try not to be pushy,” Brown said. “I’m not here to make your mind up for you. I’m here to help you along the way.”...

Power Coalition and SCSJ Train 3 Redistricting Fellows  Power Coalition and Southern Coalition for Social Justice train three redistricting fellows with the goal of engaging and educating communities around Louisiana about equitable redistricting.  New Orleans, LA– As the nation gears up for political redistricting, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, in partnership with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, is excited to host 3 Redistricting Fellows in Louisiana. These fellows will work across the state to educate communities, institutions, and legislators on the principles of political redistricting.  Political Redistricting happens every 10 years after the census and is an opportunity to draw new political district boundaries based on population changes. The goal of redistricting is to create equitable and competitive political districts so that people can be represented by legislators who will advocate on behalf of the community’s best interests.  Political gerrymandering is when areas draw political districts that favor...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 18 Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and YWCA Greater Baton Rouge pay bail for people awaiting trial in the East Baton Rouge jail in celebration of Juneteenth.  Baton Rouge, LA– Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and the YWCA Greater Baton Rouge are partnering for the annual Juneteenth Freedom Bailout. Juneteenth, also referred to as Freedom or Liberation Day, is a celebration of the emancipation from slavery in 1865. On the national day of freedom, Power Coalition and YWCA are dedicated to posting bail for people currently in East Baton Rouge jail who can not afford their bail and are not yet convicted of a crime.  The practice of bail is rooted in injustice. Low income people are forced to sit in jail before ever even being convicted of a crime while people with more financial means are able to post bail.  In 2021,...

Power Coalition CEO Ashley Shelton discusses grassroots organizing in Louisiana in the current pandemic and political landscape....

For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 17 Power Coalition and partners across Louisiana are hosting events and engaging in work in celebration of Juneteenth.  Power Coalition and YWCA Greater Baton Rouge will be hosting their second annual Juneteenth Bailout on Sunday, June 20 at the Eastern Baton Rouge Jail. They will be posting bail for people currently being held awaiting trial.  Join Imagination Leads, City of Baton Rouge- Mayor President Sharon Weston Broome, Manship Theatre, and Power Coalition as we celebrate Juneteenth with a Conversation & Evening with Tiffany Cross host of The Cross Connection. The event will be at the Manship Theater at Shaw Center for the Arts, on Friday, June 18 at 7pm with virtual and in person options available. Find out more and reserve tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/juneteenth-speaker-series-featuring-tiffany-cross-tickets-154047934519f June 18th, 2021 is the first day of the Freedom Ride for Voting Rights Bus Tour that will launch in none...

For Immediate Release: June 16 Power Coalition and partners help to pass democracy expanding bills in Louisiana.  Baton Rouge, LA– While states across the country pass voter suppression bills and limit access to the ballot box, Louisiana passed 3 important democracy expanding pieces of legislation this session. Louisiana had one of the most stringent voting booth time limits in the nation. Voters were only allowed to be in the voting booth for 3 minutes, after which they could be asked to leave regardless of whether they completed the ballot. This rule was disproportionately used to ask people of color to leave the booth, and hurt elderly populations, people who speak english as a second language, and those who despite being able to cast a vote independently may need additional time. Voters in Louisiana will now have 6 minutes to cast their ballots, doubling the amount of time so that they...

For immediate release– June 9, 2021 Prominent Southern University Alumni Release New Book: The HBCU Experience: Southern University System Edition Baton Rouge, LA– A new best selling book: The HBCU Experience: Southern University System Edition, features stories from prominent Southern University Alumni who are doing amazing things in their careers, businesses, and communities nationally and internationally. Visionary Author Dr. Ashley Little engaged Janea Jamison, Director of Programs for Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, as the lead author of this collection of stories. “I am extremely grateful to be the lead author on this project. Southern University laid the foundation and helped me grow into my career, formed long lasting friendships and relationships” said lead author, Janea Jamison,  “It is extremely important that we are able to capture the stories of alumni throughout the world.” For far too long, there has been a pervasive false narrative about attending HBCUs. Despite...

BATON ROUGE, La. (KSLA) – Louisiana voters could have four additional days for early voting in the next presidential election. That is, if Governor John Bel Edwards signs the bill. HB 286, filed by Representative Frederick Jones, would give Louisianans 11 days instead of the current seven days for early voting. It has passed with bipartisan support in both the Louisiana House and Senate....

House Bill 286 to Extend Early Voting Passes Senate and Headed to Governor’s Desk Baton Rouge, LA– HB 286 to extend early voting for presidential elections passed the Louisiana Senate unanimously and is now headed to the Governor’s desk. The bill, sponsored by Representative Fred Jones out of Monroe, extends in-person early voting for presidential elections. Under this new law, early voting for presidential elections will take place over 11 days instead of the previous 7. “This is a big achievement for a state in the deep south” said Power Coalition Founder and CEO, Ashley Shelton. “We know that providing more opportunities to vote increases turnout, makes lines shorter, and expands democracy.”  In 2020, Power Coalition filed a federal lawsuit to extend early voting and increase vote by mail options in a COVID reality. These increased options were widely used and demonstrated the need for increased voting options in Louisiana;...

Louisiana has a voting access problem, particularly in areas where Black voters reside. But one bill before the Louisiana Legislature, HB 286 sponsored by Rep. Frederick Jones (D-Monroe), would address this problem by increasing access to in-person voting and extending from seven days to 11 eleven days the window for early voting in presidential elections. ...

For immediate release– May 19, 2021 House Bill 285 to Increase Time in Voting Booth Unanimously Passes Senate and Headed to Governor’s Desk Baton Rouge, LA– HB 285 to increase the amount of time one has in the voting booth passed the Senate unanimously yesterday, clearing the path for the Governor’s desk. The bill, sponsored by Representative Ted James out of Baton Rouge, increases the time limit that people can spend in the voting booth from three minutes to six minutes for all elections.  Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, the organization that encouraged this bill and engaged community members to support the bill, says this bill is based on an issue that arose again in the 2020 election, with people being asked to leave the voting booth after 3 minutes even if they did not have time to complete their ballot. In 2020, with a ballot that included 7...

For immediate release- April 27, 2021 Power Coalition and Partners Hosting COVID-19 Vaccination Events to “Bring Back Louisiana” New Orleans, LA– Power Coalition has joined forces with the Department of Health, Louisiana Public Health Institute, and other partners to vaccinate our communities.  The Power Coalition has deep roots in communities across the state and is a trusted voice to increase vacations in the communities we serve. The COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective at reducing COVID-19 related deaths and hospitalizations, dramatically reducing the risk of the virus for vaccinated people. At the moment, over 1.2 million people in Louisiana have completed the vaccination series. Though a good start, vaccine access has been limited in low income and majority Black neighborhoods. To combat this and ensure that everyone has equal access to vaccinations and protection from COVID-19, Power Coalition is using their stateside network of volunteers and...

For immediate release- April 23, 2021 Power Coalition joins forces with the Department of Health and LPHI to “Bring Back Louisiana” Baton Rouge, LA– Power Coalition has joined forces with the Department of Health, Louisiana Public Health Institute, and other partners to run a GOTV campaign with a twist- this time reaching neighborhoods to Get Out The Vaccine.  The Power Coalition has deep roots in communities across the state and is a trusted voice to increase vacations in the communities we serve. The COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective at reducing COVID-19 related deaths and hospitalizations, dramatically reducing the risk of the virus for vaccinated people. At the moment, over 1.15 million people in Louisiana have completed the vaccination series. Though a good start, vaccine access has been limited in low income and majority Black neighborhoods. To combat this and ensure that everyone has equal access...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE– April 23, 2021 “Time” Oscar Watch Party and Celebration New Orleans, LA– Criminal Justice reform advocates will be hosting an Oscar Watch Party and Celebration for the Oscar nominated documentary “Time”. This documentary, filmed over 2 decades, shares the story of matriarch Fox Rich as she fights for her husband Robert’s release from Angola while raising their six sons.  VOTE Nola, Friends and Families of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children, Promise of Justice Institute, Power Coalition, and Participatory Defense Movement NOLA will be hosting an event to celebrate this film’s Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature. The film’s director, Garet Bradley won the U.S. documentary directing award for “Time” at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, becoming the first Black woman to do so.   This film shares the story and experiences of families that is not often shared when discussing mass incarceration. Weaving together home videos, interviews, and footage from...

**PRESS RELEASE** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- April 20, 2021 Political Redistricting Shapes Local and Federal Elections New Orleans, LA– On March 20, Louisiana had special elections for 2 Congressional House seats. Congressional Districts 2 and 5 turned out to vote, some people for the 3rd time since the November election. Power Coalition and partners activated our command center that includes an election protection hotline, monitoring social media, and engaging lawyers and advocates to engage in rapid response to any concerns at polling locations to ensure fair elections. We received numerous calls and saw reports from voters who could not cast their ballot because their polling place was closed.  One twitter tweeted that voter suppression was happening in Louisiana. She was right, there is a version of voter suppression happening in Louisiana, and it’s deeper than people imagined. The political districts in Louisiana are drawn to suppress the voices of people of...

**PRESS RELEASE** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- March 24, 2021 Marijuana Decriminalization Bill passes in Shreveport SHREVEPORT, LA On Tuesday, March 23rd, the Shreveport City Council voted 5-2 in favor of an ordinance which would decriminalize possession of less than 14 grams (half an ounce) of marijuana for residents 18 years of age or older. The proposal came about as a result of collaboration between the City of Shreveport with bipartisan support from Shreveport City council members Tabatha Taylor and John Nickelson. On Monday, March 22nd the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice hosted a townhall about the ordinance with the two councilmembers. Many of the questions from audience members were centered around what other entities were aware of the proposed ordinance and how it would affect existing laws. Councilman John Nickelson, who is also an attorney, discussed the racial disparities which exist in sentencing and conviction regarding marijuana possession and how...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-February 10, 2021 Power Coalition and Partners Host Congressional House District 2 Candidate Forum To help the public prepare for the March 20 special elections, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and our partners will be hosting virtual candidate forums. The Congressional House District 2 Candidate Forum will take place virtually tomorrow, Thursday, February 11, at 6:30 p.m.  NEW ORLEANS, LA | February 10, 2021—On Thursday, February 11, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice (PCEJ) and partners will host the Congressional House District 2 candidate forum. Starting at 6:30 p.m., this virtual event will feature 11 candidates. This forum, moderated by Vice President of Rise St. James Stephanie Cooper, will feature questions centered on environmental justice, public health, criminal justice reform, and more. “With these forums, we want to educate voters about the people who are running to represent them in their communities,” said PCEJ Community...

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A coalition of Louisiana organizations dedicated to civic engagement wants to get the word out to those who did not participate in the 2020 census because of their immigration status that there is still time to be counted if enough people speak up.  “Right now what we’re focusing on is trying to remedy any possible damage that came from those who didn’t necessarily want to be counted,” says Candice Battiste, who is a North Louisiana organizer for the Power Coalition For Equity & Justice. “So what we will be able to do is possibly look back at those communities and determine based on prior census whether there has been any growth.”...

Ashley Shelton, the executive director of the nonprofit, said Tuesday night that her organization appreciates Ardoin keeping the COVID-19 reasons to request and absentee ballot, “but (he) did not keep the extended early voting (which they also did not do in December) so while we support extended mail in voting, I think we would like to see extended in-person early voting opportunities so that more people can use that option, especially since almost 30 percent of people early voted in person in November due in large part to the extra days.”...