CADDO PARISH, La. (KSLA) – Retired Louisiana Supreme Court Justice E. Joseph Bleich has made a ruling in the election lawsuit filed by Caddo Parish sheriff candidate, John Nickelson. That ruling came down Tuesday, Dec. 5. The judge ruled the results of the Nov. 18 runoff election, in which Henry Whitehorn defeated Nickelson by one vote, are declared void. It …
Democrats Held Off the GOP in Legislative Races This Year, Again Bucking Expectations
“When you gerrymander people’s power away, you can’t elect candidates of choice,” says Ashley Shelton, executive director of Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, a Louisiana organization that focuses on voter outreach. “We understand the power of gerrymandering: It’s not that Black people don’t care or don’t want to vote, it’s that the power of their vote has been lessened.
Local Nonprofit organization to distribute food box giveaways ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday on Election Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – BATON ROUGE, LA—The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice will host several Thanksgiving Holiday Foodbox Giveaways this Saturday November 18th on Election Day! The giveaways serve as an opportunity to meet the basic needs of community members, while also spreading awareness on the importance of actively participating in voting which is our civic duty. This election …
To Have Hope, We Need Joy
“If you can’t figure it out in Louisiana, you can’t figure it out anywhere,” says Ashley Shelton, Executive Director of Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. As leader of one of the state’s most powerful civic engagement tables, she sees the abysmally low voter turnout in last month’s gubernatorial election — just 36 percent, the lowest in a decade — …
Who will draw new congressional map for Louisiana? Edwards, Landry debate who calls the session
“At every step of the redistricting process, Black Louisianans have fought hard for our communities’ right to be fully represented,” said Ashley Shelton, president and CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “The people of Louisiana deserve to be a part of a fair political process that works for all, not just some. We look forward to continuing …
Power Coalition for Equity and Justice offering rides to the polls
The voter turnout for the October 14th primary was called “historically bad” by Governor John Bel Edwards, The Power Coalition for Equity & Justice is stepping up efforts to educate voters on the importance of casting their ballots and making it easier for voters to get to the polls.
Organizers aim to get out the vote with rally at SULSA
As early voting continues across Louisiana, The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice brought together Shreveport students and community members to rally in celebration and head to the polls. It is part of PCEJ’s expansive get out the vote efforts. The SULSA rally featured local speakers and information to mobilize voters.
Landmark paid parental leave win for state employees
BATON ROUGE, LA, November 7, 2023 – The Louisiana Paid Family Medical Leave Coalition is proud to celebrate a groundbreaking win for state employees – a new benefit that grants six weeks of fully paid parental leave. Through a pair of actions, state employees will now be entitled to six weeks of parental leave at 100% pay for birth, adoption, …
Black Leaders In Louisiana Make It Clear: Climate And Racial Justice Go Hand-In-Hand
Climate action must be intersectional, writes Ashley Shelton, CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity & Justice. by Ashley Shelton in NewsOne This summer has brought no shortage of extreme weather events. July was the hottest-recorded month on Earth, and deadly heat is continuing to threaten millions across the world. We’ve also seen record-breaking storms in the Pacific and Gulf, and flooding harming our nation’s infrastructure. Extreme weather events …
Three Generations Of Black Climate Change Activists Share Why They Dedicate Their Lives Trying To Save The World
Barry Keim, Louisiana’s state climatologist, has shared that the location is the most vulnerable in the country, and global boiling is the culprit. The state’s geographic positioning makes it prone to significant damage from sea level rising, flooding and droughts. The United States Environmental Protection Agency declared in 2017 that in just a few decades, Louisiana will become hotter and less habitable—soils have already …
The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice Awards Commission for Local Film about the Power of Voting
Lafayette, LA, September 20, 2023 —A film commissioned by the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, titled “The Chamber Room” by local writer and director Natalie Spencer, will be screened, followed by a facilitated conversation regarding the film and voting at the Clifton Chenier Center Auditorium in Lafayette on Thursday, October 5, 2023. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with screening …
New Orleans collaborative helps child care providers access more resources with help from JPMorgan Chase investment
A dozen local partners are working to reshape early childhood care and education in New Orleans as a viable pathway toward long-term wealth-building, equity and economic stability, thanks to a $5 million investment from JPMorgan Chase.
Louisiana Fights To Keep Kids At Angola After Judge’s Removal Order
The state argues there would be a “near certainty” of “serious bodily injury” to children, staff, and the public if kids are transferred out of the prison.
Your guide to amendments up for vote in Louisiana’s October election
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) –– As Louisiana prepares for the Gubernatorial Primary Election on Oct.14, voters will also decide on four amendments. Here’s a breakdown of each amendment and how to ensure you are ready to vote.
Mark Ballard: Congressional redistricting court fight will likely prove consequential
The indelible tableau of the Civil Rights Movement included people in their Sunday best being beaten at the foot the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, and the inspirational words delivered by Martin Luther King at the foot of Abraham Lincoln’s statue in Washington.
Request for federal grant approved as wildfires keep burning in Louisiana
The governor says FEMA has approved a request for a federal grant to help fight wildfires in Beauregard Parish. Crews are currently working to detain fires in Tiger Island. The request was approved due to the threat fires are posing to lives, homes, property and critical facilities and infrastructure near Merryville and nearby areas, the governor’s office said.
The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice Commemorates Black Voting Rights with New Mural in Shreveport
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SHREVEPORT, LA, August 4, 2023 —A new mural commissioned by the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, titled “The Power of the Ballot” by local muralist KaDavien Baylor will be unveiled at the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity House in Shreveport on August 16, 2023, at 6:00 PM. This piece of art pays tribute to local and national …
Mama’s Gun: The Choreography of Mothering While Black Premieres in Baton Rouge, Commissioned by the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [Baton Rouge, July 26th, 2023] – Mama’s Gun, the groundbreaking dance performance work commissioned by the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, will make its highly anticipated premiere at the Manship Theater in Baton Rouge on July 28-29, 2023 at 7:30 PM, with a reception preceding at 6:00 pm. Friday’s performance and reception are free and open to …
Voting rights advocates welcome the Supreme Court’s ruling related to La’s redistricting
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Voting rights advocates and Democratic officials in Louisiana are applauding a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that they believe will lead to the state getting a second majority-African American congressional district. Ashley Shelton leads the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. The organization is a litigant fighting the congressional map approved by the GOP-controlled legislature in 2022. …
New majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana closer to reality; see why
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday brought Louisiana one step closer to having a second majority-Black congressional district — a move that would mark a dramatic reversal of fortunes for Democrats — by refusing to take up a closely watched challenge to the state’s congressional districts. The court rejected a request by Attorney General Jeff Landry to hear the case, and …
US Supreme Court tosses race-based dispute over Louisiana electoral map
June 26 (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a Republican bid to defend a Louisiana electoral map that was challenged as discriminatory in a case that could lead to the creation of a second majority-Black congressional district in the state.
Supreme Court allows for Louisiana congressional map to be redrawn to add another majority-Black district
CNN — The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Louisiana congressional map to be redrawn to add another majority-Black district. The justices reversed plans to hear the case themselves and lifted a hold they placed on a lower court’s order for a reworked redistricting regime. There were no noted dissents.
Mark Ballard: Louisiana poised to draw a majority-Black congressional district
WASHINGTON – Within hours of Thursday’s stunning U.S. Supreme Court decision that effectively requires Alabama to draw a second majority-Black congressional district, The Cook Report, a respected political handicapper, changed its 2024 election prognosis for two Louisiana Republicans – U.S. Reps Julia Letlow, of Start, and Garret Graves, of Baton Rouge – from “Solid GOP” to “Toss Up.” Cook could have easily included …
Surprise US supreme court ruling could help Democrats take House in 2024
The supreme court’s decision on Thursday upholding a critical provision of the Voting Rights Act could upend congressional maps across several southern US states, a change that is likely to boost Democrats’ chances in 2024 House races and give Black voters more opportunities to elect candidates of their choice.
SCOTUS ruling on Alabama’s congressional maps could change voting in Louisiana
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – The U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Alabama’s congressional maps violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could lead to a second majority-Black district in Louisiana. State leaders are praising the decision, saying the change is necessary. The ruling came on Thursday, June 8, and affirmed that Alabama needs to create a new map with an additional …
Supreme Court ruling could lead to new Louisiana congressional maps — with 2nd Black district
Opponents of Louisiana’s Republican-drawn political maps are optimistic the state could soon have new mapsthat include a second majority-Black congressional district, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Black voters in a similar Alabama case. The Alabama decision, which ordered that state to create another district with a large Black population, upheld decades of legal jurisprudence in the Voting Rights …
A Big Win for Voting Rights
#BREAKING: The Supreme Court today ruled in Allen v. Milligan in favor of Black voters who challenged Alabama’s 2021-enacted congressional map. “For years, redistricting and voting rights organizers have advocated for fair and equitable legislative maps,” said Ashley K. Shelton, president and CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “Today, the Supreme Court affirmed the importance of fair …
In Supreme Court’s Alabama ruling, Black voter advocates see roadmap to new maps in Louisiana
Opponents of Louisiana’s Republican-drawn political maps are optimistic the state could soon have new mapsthat include another majority-Black congressional district, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Black voters in a similar Alabama case. The Alabama decision, which ordered that state to create another district with a large Black population, upheld decades of legal jurisprudence in the Voting Rights Act …
Additional early voting locations rejected in La. House committee
Legislation that would have allowed — but not required — parishes to add early voting locations failed Tuesday in a Louisiana House committee, with opponents concerned about its cost and local election staffing. House Bill 538 from Rep. Sam Jenkins, D-Shreveport, includes guidelines that set out the minimum number of early voting locations a parish should have based on its population and …
Metro Council Approves Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance
Policy Will Curb Discrimination by City Contractors Against Job Applicants with Prior Convictions BATON ROUGE, LA—The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council voted 7-5 to approve an ordinance Wednesday that will require employers receiving money from the Parish to engage in “fair chance” hiring practices. The policy builds on a 2016 ordinance aimed at providing opportunities to apply for Parish …
Ordinance to help convicted criminals get hired passed through Metro Council
BATON ROUGE – After deferring the Fair Chance Ordinance two weeks ago, the ordinance passed through the Metro Council by 7-5. The ordinance aims to help convicted criminals get a job with contractors in the City-Parish by stopping employers from asking potential hires about their criminal record until a proper assessment of their skills.
Baton Rouge contractors now required to ‘ban the box,’ intended to give ex-convicts job opportunities
Private businesses that want to work with East Baton Rouge’s city-parish government will have to change their hiring process to comply with a new ordinance that advocates say will provide more opportunities for formerly incarcerated people. The ordinance, which the Metro Council narrowly approved in a 7-to-5 vote Wednesday, bars contractors and sub-contractors doing work with the city-parish from asking …
Racism is at the center of high Black maternal mortality rate, experts say
Black women are dying — during pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period after childbirth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women. Frankie Robertson of Baton Rouge could have been one of the statistics.
Abortion rights advocates meet at Louisiana State Capitol
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Abortion rights advocates came together to talk about how the ban on abortions in Louisiana has affected their lives. Speakers came together at the Louisiana State Capitol for “We Have a Vision: Louisiana Reproductive Justice Day at the Capitol.” The event started at 9:20 a.m. and some of the speakers who were scheduled to attend included those …
Advocacy groups push voting rights, resources for incarcerated people at legislature
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – The legislative session kicks off the second week with advocates pushing against legislators to pass voting access and to offer more support to incarcerated people. As the fiscal session ramps up, advocacy groups want to make sure the state is investing in bills that will expand voting access, criminal justice reform and community resources. The …
After redistricting, here’s how progressive groups still aim to change Louisiana voting
A special session of the Louisiana Legislature ended last June with lawmakers failing to sign off on a new congressional map for the state that included a second majority-Black district. Almost a year later, a group of progressive activists gathered at the State Capitol Monday to decry that outcome, advocating for various measures they said would increase voting access for disabled Louisianans and …
We Stand With The Tennessee Three
In response to the Tennessee Legislature’s continued lack of principled action, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and our partners stand with the Tennessee 3 following the recent expulsion of two Black leaders for fighting for gun reform in the face of gun violence in their community. We celebrate and support Representative Jones, Representative Pearson, and Representative Johnson who …
Anti-Protest Laws Are Not About Safety, They Are About Silencing Dissent
We must not allow our movements for justice to be silenced by laws that criminalize dissent. At least 42 people who have protested the building of an 85-acre, $90 million police training facility in Atlanta, Georgia, have been charged with domestic terrorism. While demonstrators always fear being criminalized for exercising their constitutional right to stage protests, being charged with domestic terrorism …
Power Coalition Hosts Legislative Roadshows Throughout the State
For Immediate Release: April 3, 2023 The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice started their annual legislative roadshow on March 28th in New Orleans and March 30th in St. James. This legislative roadshow is aimed at being a space where legislators, advocates, and communities can come together to discuss the upcoming legislative session and the issues and policies that are of …
Meet 7 Black Women Making History Today
Ashley K. Shelton is the founder and president of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice in Louisiana. She is an advocate for climate justice, traveling to COP27 in Egypt to discuss the needs of Black communities and the ways in which they are harmed by climate injustice. Shelton is also a passionate advocate for environmental justice, voting rights and …
Some New Orleans absentee voters receive incomplete ballots for March 25 election
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – With a March 25 municipal primary election fast approaching, voters who requested them have begun receiving absentee ballots in the mail. But for some, the ballots they received are incomplete. There should be two judicial races on the ballot, and voters living in House District 93 also should have a runoff decision for the state representative …
In Memorium: James Joseph
For Immediate Release: February 27, 2023 “I keep on trying because I think I hear these words echoing in the clouds and bouncing off the mountaintop. I keep the faith because I believe that once again the longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise up and hope and history rhyme. My fondest hope is that you will too. We did it …
Louisiana House 93 race heads to March runoff after low-turnout affair
A crowded race to replace Royce Duplessis in the state House of Representatives will go to a runoff after none of the six candidates secured a majority of the vote, in an election held on a busy day in the Carnival calendar that drew few voters to the polls.
New state utility regulator wants to reduce rates, introduce renewable mandatesqaws
After defying the odds to become the first openly LGBTQ person elected to a statewide office, Davante Lewis intends to use the momentum to take on utility giants such as Entergy and move the state toward more renewable energy in his first six-year term on Louisiana’s Public Service Commission. Many see Lewis’ victory as a sign of shifting politics around …
Second Annual Early Ed Month Focuses on Need for Investment
BATON ROUGE — From the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children: Feb. 1 marked the start of the second annual Early Ed Month, which is a month-long initiative to educate local and national policymakers, business leaders, parents and advocates on the need for robust investments in high-quality early care and education to support a strong workforce and economy in Louisiana. Created …
The Re-Up event allows students to refill school supplies for free
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) – At this point in the school year, kids may be running out of supplies. To help with this issue, a Shreveport teacher is helping replenish those supplies. Marvkevea’s Learning Center is hosting The Re-Up at Sci-Port. Parents and students have the chance to tour the new exhibits, get free school supplies and enjoy an evening dance …
HousingLOUISIANA Statement on the Extraordinary Special Session
This week, in an Extraordinary Special Session, the Louisiana Legislature is discussing the authorization of $45 million in funding to entice insurance companies to return to the Louisiana markets. We think that this is a misguided approach that will lead to more harm than good. There are several key problems in this approach: 1. There is no guarantee that stable and reputable …
HousingLOUISIANA President Andreanecia Morris Speaks on Extraordinary Special Session
This week, in an Extraordinary Special Session, the Louisiana Legislature is discussing the authorization of $45 million in funding to entice insurance companies to return to the Louisiana markets. We think that this is a misguided approach that will lead to more harm than good. Read HousingLOUISIANA’s full statement here: puthousingfirst.wordpress.com/2023/01/31…l-session/
Special session begins in effort to ease the mass exodus of insurance companies from the state
Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) – State lawmakers are back at the capitol to deal with the issue that’s costing many lots of money. There’s only one thing on the agenda at the special session and that’s dealing with the state’s homeowners insurance crisis. The session started at noon Monday, with the one bill being assigned to the appropriations committee to take up …
HCR 14 Disability Voting Task Force to Reconvene
For Immediate Release: January 23, 2023 BATON ROUGE, LA— Tomorrow, January 24, 2023, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice (PCEJ) will reconvene at 1 p.m. (CST) at the Claiborne Building in the Thomas Jefferson Room with others who are a part of the HCR 14 Disability Voting Task Force. The 13 member group came about after the 2022 Legislative Session …
ACLU At Liberty Podcast: The 50th Anniversary of Roe That We’ll Never See
January 22nd marks the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case that codified the right to an abortion. But this year on January 22nd, we’ll largely remember this anniversary as the one that wasn’t. For 49 years, Roe helped to allow people who could become pregnant decide what was best for them and their families, but on June 24th, …
State leaders reconsider early learning standards after pushback on social, emotional learning
In an about face, Louisiana’s top school board Tuesday voted to take another look at new learning standards for the state’s youngest students amid controversy on whether the benchmarks would allow politicized instruction. The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education had twice approved the revised guidelines, including on Dec. 13.
For MLK Holiday, Racial And Social Justice Leaders Urge Policymakers To Emulate Civil Rights Icon
As the nation pauses to recognize the 40th installment of the annual federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr., a number of racial and social justice leaders are spreading awareness of the civil rights icon’s legacy by urging policymakers to emulate the good reverend doctor while working in their official capacities.
Free Expungement Event Hosted in Orleans Parish
For Immediate Release: January 10, 2023 NEW ORLEANS, LA— Tomorrow, January 11, 2023, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice (PCEJ) will work with a group of partners to host an expungement event that will be located at 4035 Washington Avenue, Suite 203, in New Orleans, LA. The event will begin at 5 p.m. and is aimed at expunging records for moderate …