As community leaders fight to protect voting rights, lawmakers advance bills that threaten to erase them. The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and the Legal Defense Fund stood with hundreds of citizens from every corner of the state on the steps of the Louisiana Capitol, to announce the Louisiana Voting Rights Act (LAVRA). Filed as SB 365 by state Rep. Royce Duplessis (D-New Orleans), the LAVRA is designed to do what Louisiana has failed to do for generations: protect voters from discrimination that is not just historical, but still ongoing. The bill is a long-overdue safeguard in a state where voting rights have been chipped away session after session. While community members gathered to support this protective legislation, lawmakers inside the building were advancing a very different agenda. The same Legislature that can expand protections for voters is simultaneously pushing a slate of bills that would make it harder …
Supporters of state Voting Rights Act rally at Capitol
BATON ROUGE — A state lawmaker and others gathered outside the Capitol on Wednesday to tout the introduction of a bill that they say will protect voting rights for Black voters and other people of color. Senate Bill 365 would create the Louisiana Voting Rights Act. The bill was prefiled prior to this year’s session and referred to the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs. It has not been scheduled for consideration. A statement from the bill’s supporters say they fear efforts, including polling site closures in Black neighborhoods, gerrymandering and a current effort at the national level to require additional identification from potential voters before they are given a ballot, make it harder to vote. “A state Voting Rights Act is how Louisiana decides whether we are a democracy for everyone, or only for a few,” said Ashley Shelton, the president of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “At …
Advocates back proposed Louisiana Voting Rights Act
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Groups are voicing their support for a proposed bill that would create the Louisiana Voting Rights Act as the U.S. awaits a Supreme Court ruling that could change the election landscape. The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and its partners hosted a press conference at the Louisiana State Capitol at 11 a.m. Wednesday. If passed, the Louisiana Voting Rights Act would create new safeguards to protect access to the ballot, prevent voter discrimination, and ensure equal participation in elections. “We’re here today because democracy is not self-executed. It must be protected. It takes action. And the right to vote, as it was said earlier, is not just another right. It’s a right that protects other rights, and in Louisiana, know this truth with access to the ballot is threatened, our communities are the ones who feel it first,” State Sen. Royce Duplessis (D-New Orleans), the …
Ashley Shelton: The Senate Must Reject Mullin’s Nomination to Protect FEMA from Further Destruction
After a year of catastrophic mismanagement, mass firings, and dangerous politicization, the Federal Emergency Management Agency stands on the brink of collapse. Communities across America that depend on federal disaster assistance are watching as the Trump administration systematically dismantles the agency designed to protect them. Now, with the nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA, the Senate faces a critical choice: reject this nomination and demand independence for FEMA, or allow the agency to become another casualty of political games while American families pay the price. The crisis at FEMA didn’t begin with Mullin’s nomination—it accelerated under Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s disastrous leadership. Since assuming her position last year, Noem slashed 20% of FEMA staff, leaving the agency woefully unprepared for the next emergency. And internal planning documents reveal the administration’s plan goes much further: possibly cutting more than 11,500 employees from FEMA’s workforce …
Louisiana activists rally for fair voting rights and representation
BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) — Hundreds gathered at Louisiana’s State Capitol for a voters’ rights rally during the legislature’s special session, advocating for the maintenance of the state’s current congressional map to ensure fair representation. The demonstration coincided with a special legislative session where lawmakers were urged to uphold voting rights, particularly for Black voters, in light of a recent court ruling affirming fair representation. “Representation is core to citizenship,” said Ashley Shelton of the Power of Coalition for Equity and Justice. “You cannot have full citizenship if your values and the things you care about are not showing up in the halls of Congress.” Congressman Cleo Fields emphasized the importance of the Voting Rights Act.
Black Voter Disenfranchisement Is On The Supreme Court Docket
Black political power, fair representation, and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act are once again on the Supreme Court’s docket in Louisiana v. Callais. On the heels of the 60th anniversary of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965, the nation’s highest court will rehear arguments that could have major implications for fair representation for Black voters and other disenfranchised groups. In many ways, Callais continues the generational attack on Black political power and fair representation dating back to the end of the Civil War in 1865. Renewed attacks on Black voting rights and political power, and addressing unconstitutional discrimination in exercising the franchise, require intervention like that provided under Section 2 of the VRA. When will Louisiana v. Callais be heard? After hearing oral arguments in March 2025, the Supreme Court punted the case to the upcoming fall term. The Court will rehear oral arguments in Callais on Oct. 15, 2025. Listen to the …
‘PICTURE THE POWER’ CAPTURES MESSAGES OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN LOUISIANA
Nearly 100 guests gathered Sept. 5 at the YWCA Women’s Empowerment Center to celebrate the launch of Picture the Power, a statewide juried photography exhibition hosted by the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice.
The exhibit features compelling images submitted by 65 professional and amateur photographers from across the state, showcasing democracy in action. The work of 14 selected photographers is on display, with three honored for their contributions during the event.
At the start of the launch and gallery talk Dianna Payton, YWCA executive director, framed the exhibit within a broader context. “Without artists who shared their gift, we wouldn’t know the history or have memories to share with the next generation. Today is a (presentation) of this generation’s era, as we reflect on where we are in our country, our state, and our local community.”
Gerri Hobdy, director of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice Arts Framework, explained the roots of creative civic movements. “In the ’60s and ’70s, the (Free) Southern Theater took small plays into communities to help folks know what was on the ballot, especially those who were not literate. It was creative people often risking the gun,” said Hobdy. She initiated the exhibit following Power Coalition President and Founder Ashley Shelton’s vision to integrate art into the organization’s work.
Power Coalition for Equity and Justice Launches Picture the Power Photography Competition and Statewide Exhibition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 25, 2025 Media Contact:Maya MillerExhibition Director, Power Coalition Arts FrameworkPhone: 225-778-9768Email: moments.mayaphoto@gmail.com Baton Rouge, LA — The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice proudly announces Picture the Power, a statewide juried photography traveling exhibition that highlights Louisiana’s ongoing fight for voting rights and democratic participation. The public is invited to the exhibition launch on Friday, September 5, 2025, from 6:00–8:00 pm at the YWCA Women’s Empowerment Center, 1690 North Blvd, Baton Rouge, featuring a gallery talk by Cree Matlock, Director of Government Affairs & Policy for the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. Statewide Tour Schedule September 11 – 25: Imperial Calcasieu Museum, Lake CharlesOctober 3 – 10: Davis Studio and Creative Space, ShreveportOctober 17 – 24: Mason Freetown, LafayetteNovember 10 – 28: Shell Gallery – Arts Council Greater Baton Rouge Exhibition Awards President’s Legacy of Power Award: Khaelyn Jackson, New OrleansVoice of the People Award: …
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Angela Rye, Lynae Vanee And More Talk Politics, Power And The People At ESSENCE Fest 2025
At the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, the Global Black Economic Forum stage closed out with a powerful political roundtable led by the hosts of theNative Land Podcast hosts Angela Rye, Andrew Gillum and Tiffany Cross — who sparked a wide-ranging and candid conversation about the state of American democracy, health care, media narratives and the urgency of Black civic engagement. The panel featured U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas; Malcolm Kenyatta, vice chair of the Democratic National Convention; Ashley Shelton, president of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice; and Lynae Vanee, host of “The People’s Brief” and a prominent social commentator. Gillum, a former Tallahassee mayor, opened the discussion with a question for Crockett about the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a sweeping piece of legislation signed into law by Donald Trump. Crockett was direct in her assessment, warning that the bill would have devastating consequences for public health. “They cut $1 trillion …
Black Voters Face Uncertainty After Supreme Court Orders More Arguments in Louisiana Gerrymander Case
The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered further argument in what is considered a high-stakes redistricting case in Louisiana. The court delayed its decision in Louisiana v. Callais, a case that would have determined whether one of the state’s two majority-Black congressional districts was a racial gerrymander. The punt on the case has created uncertainty in the battle for the House. As Politico explains, one Democratic-held House seat is in limbo as Republicans look to defend their thin majority in the next election. The legal battle began with Robinson v. Landry (originally Robinson v. Ardoin). The NAACP Louisiana State Conference, along with the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and nine Black voters, successfully challenged the state’s 2022 congressional map. According to the Vanguard News Group, the map drawn by the state legislature following the 2020 Census Bureau was found to violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. This was after the state’s governing body drew a congressional map that packed Black voters …
Coalition of Community Organizations, Union Members, Faith Leaders, Immigrant Advocates to March, Rally in New Orleans Demanding End to Brutal Ice Raids
NEW ORLEANS, LA – SEIU service and care workers joined by over a dozen local and national partner organizations, faith leaders, and local allies will lead a mass march and rally in New Orleans on Tuesday, calling for an end to the Trump administration’s brutal ICE raids, the release of immigrant workers unjustly detained in Louisiana and across the country, and a future where working people of every race and background can thrive. “Workers of every race have always faced systems designed to strip away our rights, divide our communities, and criminalize our existence, all while politicians and corporations profit,” said April Verrett, President of SEIU. “Immigration detention and mass incarceration are two sides of the same system of control, and we’ve seen this hateful playbook before. We’re standing together in a powerful, united resistance to reject the politics of cruelty and greed, where some think they can send our families, friends, and …
In Puzzling Move, U.S. Supreme Court Orders Additional Arguments in Louisiana Redistricting Case Pitting VRA Against Equal Protections Clause
The U.S. Supreme Court was expected to announce an opinion June 27th in Louisiana v. Callais, one of the most important voting rights cases of the year. Instead, in a highly unusual move, the court ordered new arguments in the case pitting the Voting Rights Act of 1965 against the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protections Clause. Some podcasting platforms strip out our links. To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org Today’s Links Articles & Resources: The American Redistricting Project – Callais v. LouisianaAmerican Democracy Minute – Will Louisiana v. Callais Be the Latest Blow Against the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by SCOTUS?Brennan Center for Justice – Voting Rights Act Returns to the Supreme CourtU.S. Supreme Court – LOUISIANA, APPELLANT 24–109 v. PHILLIP CALLAIS, ET AL.SCOTUS Blog – Supreme Court punts decision on Louisiana’s congressional map to next termNPR …
Louisiana’s Black Voters Face Uncertain Future in Redistricting Case
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered further argument in the high-stakes redistricting case Louisiana v. Callais, a move that leaves the future of Black political representation in the state hanging in the balance. In an unexpected decision issued June 27, 2025, the Court restored the case to its calendar for reargument during its next term, with a decision likely by mid-2026. The ruling affects Louisiana’s current congressional map (Senate Bill 8 or SB8), which features two majority-Black districts and will remain in effect in the interim. The order did not explain the Court’s reasoning, but it will issue a future order setting the new argument date and specifying any additional legal questions for the parties to address. Justice Clarence Thomas issued a sharply worded dissent, accusing the Court of “punting without explanation” and warning that delays only deepen confusion over the balance between the Voting Rights Act …
Trump is freezing the funding of environmental groups—and threatening them with criminal prosecution
Some grassroots environmental organizations have regained access to the millions of dollars they were promised through the Inflation Reduction Act. But now some see an even more menacing threat: prosecution. The unease has grown as President Donald Trump’s attacks on them and their mission to help disadvantaged communities and curb climate change continues to escalate. Leaders of these groups say they expect federal agents to start breathing down their necks any day now as Trump seeks to shred the climate initiatives of his predecessor, Joe Biden. “It’s not a matter of if you will be audited, it’s a matter of when,” said Ashley Shelton, executive director of the Louisiana-based nonprofit The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice.
Criminal targeting of environmental groups ‘scary,’ advocates say
Some grassroots environmental organizations have regained access to the millions of dollars they were promised through the Inflation Reduction Act. But now some see an even more menacing threat: prosecution. The unease has grown as President Donald Trump’s attacks on them and their mission to help disadvantaged communities and curb climate change continues to escalate. Leaders of these groups say they expect federal agents to start breathing down their necks any day now as Trump seeks to shred the climate initiatives of his predecessor, Joe Biden. “It’s not a matter of if you will be audited, it’s a matter of when,” said Ashley Shelton, executive director of the Louisiana-based nonprofit The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice.
Supreme Court Orders Re-Argument of Louisiana Redistricting Case for Next Term
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an order to reargue the case of Louisiana v. Callais and will later issue an order scheduling the argument and specifying any additional questions that will need to be addressed in the case. Louisiana’s current map with two majority-Black districts remains in effect. The re-argument of the case will likely occur during the fall. Louisiana’s current congressional map, known as S.B. 8, was drawn in response to a separate lawsuit, Robinson v. Ardoin (later Robinson v. Landry). In that earlier case, brought by the NAACP Louisiana State Conference, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, and nine individual Black voters, a federal court in Baton Rouge found that Louisiana’s 2022 map likely violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) by packing Black voters into a single majority-Black district and diluting the voting strength of Black voters in other districts. That part of the decision was upheld by …
Supreme Court Orders Re-Argument of Louisiana Redistricting Case for Next Term
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an order to reargue the case of Louisiana v. Callais and will issue an order scheduling the argument and specifying any additional questions that will need to be addressed in the case. Louisiana’s current map with two majority-Black districts remains in effect. The re-argument of the case will likely occur during the fall. “A fair and equitable congressional map has always been our North Star,” said Ashley Shelton, President/CEO of Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “Today’s decision deferring the case does not shake our focus on that goal. We will continue to advocate for a map that reflects our communities and upholds the hope of true and substantive political representation, and we look forward to using this opportunity to continue to build Black political power for our beloved communities across Louisiana and the nation.”
Louisiana officials react after US Supreme Court delays ruling on state’s congressional map
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The U.S. Supreme Court decided to delay its ruling on Louisiana’s congressional map and will rehear the case later. Justice Clarence Thomas disagreed, saying the Court is required to act quickly and warned that current interpretations of the Voting Rights Act may force states to draw race-based districts that violate the Constitution. “A fair and equitable congressional map has always been our North Star. Today’s decision deferring the case does not shake our focus on that goal. We will continue to advocate for a map that reflects our communities and upholds the hope of true and substantive political representation, and we look forward to using this opportunity to continue to build Black political power for our beloved communities across Louisiana and the nation.” ASHLEY SHELTON, PRESIDENT/CEO OF POWER COALITION FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE
The new era of policing green dissent
“Grassroots work, unfortunately, isn’t for the fearful,” says Asti Robins, director of climate justice at the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, a Louisiana-based group of community organizations, which has seen clean energy projects shuttered as federal grants are revoked. The Power Coalition is among a number of groups that raised the spectre of audits as another tool in the Trump arsenal against climate groups, with reports surfacing that groups were being asked to turn over correspondence with the EPA along with the paper trail of how they were spending money, articles of incorporation and policies. There were also worries that the president would target green groups’ tax-exempt status, but as of April the move had not occurred. Beyond the economic attacks, there has been the broader “anti-woke” attack on all things DEI – diversity, equity and inclusion – which is also a crucial part of the climate movement today. Environmental justice groups …
Seven Thought-Provoking Juneteenth Events
Slavery officially ended in 1863, but it wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that freedom found its way to the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas. That date has since become the national holiday known as Juneteenth, and while many cities hold festivals and parades to mark it, these seven events across the South offer unique opportunities to celebrate and reflect. Juneteenth Day of Service Saturday, June 21, Shreveport, Louisiana The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice will host a day of service at Shreveport Green Urban Farm, where volunteers will spend the morning beautifying that green space and other local gardens in the city. A DJ will bring the fun, while hotdogs and hamburgers will provide the fuel.
Voting groups challenge Louisiana’s new proof of citizenship requirement in federal lawsuit
A group of voting rights organizations is challenging a new state law that requires Louisiana residents to show proof of U.S. citizenship when they register to vote. The Senate bill, which Gov. Jeff Landry signed into law last June after it passed both chambers of the Legislature, took effect Jan. 1. According to the law, voter applications will ask prospective voters eligibility questions when they go to register, such as whether they will be 18 years old before election day. “Are you a citizen of the United States of America?” is among the questions on the form, and the law requires applicants to show proof of their citizenship when applying. The measure aims to keep noncitizens from entering the voting booth. But voting rights advocates say the new law goes beyond what federal law allows.
Louisiana Sued Over Vague Proof-of-Citizenship Voting Law
Voting rights groups are suing Louisiana over a new law that forces every would-be voter to provide documentary proof of citizenship in order to register, a requirement they say goes far beyond what federal law allows. Imposing a proof of citizenship requirement is a key GOP priority. It’s a key element of the SAVE Act, the restrictive anti-voting bill that Republicans passed through the U.S. House last month. And it’s part of President Donald Trump’s executive order that aims to assert control over voting. The Louisiana law, known as SB 436, mandates that every voter registration applicant submit proof of U.S. citizenship, but doesn’t say what counts as “proof,” how it must be submitted or whether it applies to online voter registration.
Voting Rights Coalition Sues to Defend Freedom to Vote for Louisianians
Baton Rouge, Louisiana — Today, a coalition of voting rights groups is suing the state of Louisiana for a blatant violation of Louisianians’ freedom to vote. The state passed a proof of citizenship law that is unconstitutionally vague and violates the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). If implemented, the law will disproportionately harm voters of color, women, new voters, voters with past felony convictions, and other historically disenfranchised communities. The League of Women Voters of Louisiana (LWVLA), Voice of the Experienced (VOTE), the NAACP Louisiana State Conference, and Power Coalition for Equity and Justice (PCEJ) filed suit to ensure all eligible Louisiana voters can make their voices heard without being burdened by potentially onerous voter registration requirements. The groups are represented by Campaign Legal Center (CLC), Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee), and Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
Will Sutton: Orleans millage slips by to fund OPSO, with Black-White rejection, support
If ever there was an election to prove that every vote counts, it was the May 3 Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office millage election. With more than $13 million at stake, a measly 9.6% of New Orleans voters overall decided that the office responsible for keeping pretrial detainees off the streets, fed, safe and secure should keep as much as 20% of the office budget for the next 10 years. Of those who cast ballots during the early voting period and those who voted Saturday, the decision came down to two votes.
ICYMI: Black Voters In WI and LA Deliver Decisive Defeats To Republicans
Black voters in Louisiana and Wisconsin recently gave Republicans two defeats showing the importance of state-based organizing. While some refer to odd number years as the “off cycle,” organizing efforts in both states led to major victories for pro-democracy advocates. Last weekend, a coalition powered in part by increased turnout among Black voters rejected four constitutional amendments championed by the state’s Republican governor. Ashley Shelton, president and CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, called the wins a “movement” of people reclaiming their power. “These amendments weren’t designed to serve the people; they were crafted in back rooms where only the well-connected have a seat at the table,” Shelton said. “For weeks, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice traveled across the state, engaging in real conversations about what these amendments meant for our families, our communities, and our future. And when the truth was put in the hands of the people, …
We mobilized Louisiana voters, but Gov. Landry wrongly blames George Soros
When all four of conservative Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s proposed constitutional amendments were soundly defeated Saturday — about twice as many voters voted against them as for them — he responded with insults, condescension and misinformation. The governor should have acknowledged that Louisianians didn’t want what he was selling and graciously accepted the will of the voters. Instead, as has become typical for some conservative politicians, the governor blamed political extremists and George Soros. As has become typical for some conservative politicians, the governor blamed political extremists and George Soros. “Soros and far left liberals poured millions into Louisiana with propaganda and outright lies about Amendment 2,” Landry said in a statement. “Although we are disappointed in tonight’s results, we do not see this as a failure. We realize how hard positive change can be to implement in a State that is conditioned for failure.”
Louisiana Voters Reject All Four Constitutional Amendments In Major Win For The Left
At a moment when the nation is looking to take the political temperature of a country rocked by rapid-fire decisions on the federal level, Louisiana residents overwhelmingly rejected four ballot initiatives put in front of voters on March 29. The moment was a defeat for Republican Governor Jeff Landry. Grassroots organizers in Louisiana running the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, led by Gary Chambers and Ashley Shelton, led a series of town hall meetings from February 20 to March 11 to educate voters on the four initiatives and encourage them to “just say no” to all of them. Voters appeared to have listened. Close to two-thirds of voters in Louisiana rejected all the amendments. The moment takes place against the backdrop of raucous and packed town halls across the nation featuring citizens asking pointed questions about what they can do to protect democracy.
Louisiana voters head to Washington D.C. for historic Supreme Court case
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Busloads of Louisiana voters are traveling to Washington, D.C. for a historic U.S. Supreme Court hearing on the state’s congressional redistricting case. Residents from the Baton Rouge and New Orleans metro areas will make the trip on Saturday to attend the hearing for Louisiana v. Callais, scheduled for Monday, March 24. The case could have major implications for the future of Louisiana’s congressional map and the representation of Black voters in the state. “The State of Louisiana and its legislature were forced by a federal judge to draw fair maps, and so that’s how we were able to get a second majority-minority congressional seat. And then Callais challenged that map, saying it was a racial gerrymander. Indeed, it was not,” said Ashley Shelton, President and CEO of Power Coalition. Shelton emphasized that the case is a pivotal moment in the ongoing fight for fair …
Louisiana Redistricting Case – An Attack on Voting Rights
On March 24, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a pivotal case out of Louisiana that could reshape the future of voting rights nationwide. The consolidated cases — Louisiana v. Callais and Robinson v. Callais — challenge the congressional map drawn by the Louisiana state legislature in 2024. This map was created after a lower federal court, the Fifth Circuit, found that the 2022 version likely violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting practices. In a media briefing on March 14, hosted by Ethnic Media Services, experts discussed the attack on voting rights in the South with respect to the case on Louisiana’s redistricting.
Louisiana Congressional Map with Two Majority-Black Districts Honors Both VRA and Constitution and Should Remain, LDF Argues at Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) argued before the Supreme Court in Louisiana v. Callais that a congressional map that was in place during the 2024 election cycle should remain because it satisfies both the Voting Rights Act (VRA) and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. LDF made the case that the 2024 map fairly recognizes the political power of Black Louisianians, who make up one third of the state’s population, while balancing other redistricting priorities—in stark contrast to the discriminatory map passed by the state legislature in 2022, which federal courts determined likely violated the VRA by including only one majority-Black district.
Arguments Wrap in Case Defending Black Representation in Louisiana’s Congressional Map
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, voting rights advocates argued before the Supreme Court in Louisiana v. Callais that a congressional map that was in place during the 2024 election cycle should remain because it satisfies both the Voting Rights Act (VRA) and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The coalition made the case that the 2024 map fairly recognizes the political power of Black Louisianians, who make up one-third of the state’s population while balancing other redistricting priorities—in stark contrast to the discriminatory map passed by the state legislature in 2022, which federal courts determined likely violated the VRA by including only one majority-Black district.
Justices Seem Likely to Uphold Louisiana Map With 2 Majority-Black Districts
A majority of the Supreme Court appeared ready on Monday to allow Louisiana to continue using a congressional voting map that includes two majority-Black districts in the state. The question before the court: Did Louisiana lawmakers improperly rely on race when they drafted the map? The case could not only shift the boundaries of majority-Black districts in Louisiana but also help determine the balance of power in the House of Representatives in the coming years, when political control of the chamber has frequently rested on thin margins. Using the new map to hold elections in 2024, Louisiana elected a second Black Democrat, Cleo Fields — the first time in a decade that Democrats have held two congressional seats in the state.
Black voters turned out in higher numbers in new majority-Black district, report says
A New York University study says that fairer maps increase voter turnout. A higher percentage of Black residents voted in Louisiana’s new majority-Black 6th Congressional District in the November 2024 election than those who were redistricted into majority-white districts, a new report shows. The report from the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan political and legal think tank that’s part of New York University Law School, was released last week. In it, researchers analyzed voter turnout in three newly-formed majority-Black congressional districts — in Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia. They found similar trends across all three states — that Black residents turned out to vote more when they were in majority-Black districts. Although there was only a two-percent difference in turnout between Black voters who were and weren’t drawn into majority-Black districts in Louisiana, that difference represents thousands of people, the report said.
Louisiana v. Callais: The Fight for Fair Maps in Louisiana and the Long Road to the Supreme Court
WHAT IS LOUISIANA V. CALLAIS ABOUT? Louisiana v. Callais is a redistricting case before the U.S. Supreme Court that will determine the future of Louisiana’s congressional map. The Supreme Court will hear oral argument on March 24, 2025. The outcome of the case will not only impact Louisiana but will also forecast the resilience of our democratic values and shape the future of redistricting cases nationwide. At its core, Louisiana v. Callais is about equal representation for Black voters in Louisiana and the role of race in redistricting. The Court will determine if Louisiana lawmakers properly balanced constitutional and Voting Rights Act of 1965 (“VRA”) protections when enacting a new congressional map with two majority-Black districts in 2024, following years of litigation under Section 2 of the VRA. The Court will be poised to address long-held precedent about how lawmakers must balance constitutional and VRA protections when enacting maps—as well as the extent of their …
Charity fashion show in New Orleans raises money for nonprofits
NEW ORLEANS (Louisiana First) — A fashion show in New Orleans aims to show off the hottest looks while raising money for nonprofits during Super Bowl weekend. The Power Coalition for Equity & Justice teams up with the Off the Field NFL Wives Association, a national nonprofit comprised of the spouses of active and retired NFL players, for the 24th annual Charity Fashion Show before the Super Bowl. The event brings together NFL wives, community leaders, and philanthropic organizations to showcase style and fashion and raise funds for impactful causes. The Power Coalition will work alongside Off the Field to amplify the importance of civic engagement and community empowerment. “We started because we really wanted to give back. Our mission is to work with each local community and see how we can give back with our proceeds,” Off the Field NFL Wives Association Executive Director Asia Richardson said.
Supreme Court to Determine Future of Equal Protection and Voting Rights Act Claims in Louisiana Case
WASHINGTON —The U.S. Supreme Court today agreed to review the case of Robinson v. Callais, which could determine how congressional maps are drawn in Louisiana.
The court will now consider whether Louisiana violated the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause when the state legislature redrew Louisiana’s congressional map in January 2024, after a federal court found the state’s 2022 map violated the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The court may also determine how much latitude state lawmakers have in considering politics or other legislative preferences when they draw districts to comply with the VRA.
“We look forward to continuing to defend the rights of Black voters to elect their candidates of choice,” said Stuart Naifeh, redistricting manager for the Legal Defense Fund (LDF). “Just in 2023, the Supreme Court recognized the ongoing vitality and necessity of the Voting Rights Act to protect voters of color from dilution of their votes in state redistricting decisions. Black voters have an unprecedented opportunity to make their voices heard in this year’s congressional elections because multiple federal courts, in our Robinson v. Landry litigation, applied that ruling and invalidated the state’s 2022 congressional map. Federal law requires Louisiana to have a fair map that reflects the power and voice of the state’s Black communities. The state recognized as much when it adopted a new map with a second majority-Black district in January. Now the Supreme Court must do the same.”
Dozens of polling places changed for Election Day in Louisiana. Here’s where to vote.
Many Louisiana voters will be heading to a different location to cast their vote on November 5 after dozens of polling places changed across the state. Twenty parishes had polling location switches for the upcoming 2024 election. Residents casting their votes on election day are always assigned to a specific location. At the polls, Louisiana voters will have the opportunity to weigh in the presidential election, along with several other local races, and decide on a statewide constitutional amendment. Early voting, which always takes place at a limited number of locations in each parish, ended on Oct. 29. Use the searchable database below to see if your polling location has changed. You can search below by your precinct number or the name of your last known polling place. Did you recently move or just need to look up your polling place? Search for it on the Secretary of State’s office here.
More details emerge on Landry’s tax overhaul
Details of Gov. Jeff Landry’s tax overhaul plan continued to trickle out at a House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday. It was the first time the tax-writing committee had met since the governor sent lawmakers a package of 10 bills outlining his goals. The Times-Picayune | Baton Rouge Advocate’s Alyse Pfeil reports that the plan calls for giving teachers a “permanent” pay raise through a constitutional change where the state would pay off debt in the teachers’ retirement system and require local school districts to use the resulting savings to finance salary increases. [Revenue Secretary Richard] Nelson said about $2 billion currently saved in constitutionally protected educational trust funds would go toward paying down the high-interest debt — known as unfunded accrued liability or UAL — that is owed to the Teacher’s Retirement System of Louisiana. This $2 billion debt payment would create savings of about $300 million annually, he said. …
How Louisiana tax burdens might shift under Gov. Landry’s proposed overhaul
The chief proponent of Gov. Jeff Landry’s plan to revise Louisiana’s tax structure is touting what he considers some of its more progressive aspects, but some critics say the plan overall would benefit the wealthy at the expense of regular Louisiana taxpayers. Louisiana’s richest residents would pay a larger share of the state’s income tax under the proposal, state Revenue Secretary Richard Nelson said, but the overall amount would still be less than what they currently pay. It’s among the specifics Nelson laid out Tuesday to the members of the House Ways & Means Committee, where all tax measures originate in the Legislature. “That’s part of the motivation for making these changes,” Nelson told committee members. Under Landry’s proposal, the richest 10% of Louisiana taxpayers will pay 61% of all the state’s income tax revenue. They currently pay about 55%, Nelson said. Additionally, the poorest 20% of taxpayers in the …
Don’t miss Louisiana’s voter registration deadlines
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The 2024 presidential election is fast approaching and there are important deadlines you need to be aware of if you’re planning to cast your vote in Louisiana. Billy Anderson with the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice joined our morning team in the studio to talk about why it’s important to exercise your right to vote. Here’s what he had to say: What are the key deadlines voters should be aware of, especially with elections coming up? Deadline to register by mail or in person is October 7th. Deadline to register online is Oct 15. State data shows increase in Louisiana registered voters What options are there for those who can’t vote in person on election day? You have the option to vote absentee ballot by requesting it from the Secretary of State office or you can early vote between October 18th and the 29th. The deadline to request an absentee …
Power Coalition and Partners Host a Baton Rouge Mayoral and 6th Congression District Candidate Form on September 19
On Thursday, September 19th, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice is hosting a Mayoral and 6th Congressional District Candidate Forum in partnership with National Pan-Hellenic Council of GBR, Inc., National Pan-Hellenic Council of LSU, Inc., National Pan-Hellenic Council of SU, Inc., Coalition, and United Excel Social Justice Institute. The candidate forum will be taking place from 6-8 PM at United Christian Faith Ministries in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Power Coalition hosts candidate forums in partnership with various organizations every election season. We believe it is of the utmost importance that constituents are informed about the candidates that they elect into office. All candidates within a race receive an invite to our forums, and have equal opportunity to address constituents on their platforms, and answer questions. During the week of National Voter Registration Day, we believe that it is more important than ever for our communities to have access to …
Louisiana group wants people to register to vote, check registration before Nov. 5 election
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) —During the upcoming Presidential election, people living in inner cities and urban areas may be able to walk to their polling location; however, people with disabilities and rural residents have an extra barrier: transportation.
The nonprofit organization Power Coalition will offer “Power Rides” to help transport rural, disabled, and people without a car to and from the polls.
“One of the major things we see is that people who live in rural communities don’t necessarily have access to their voting sites,” shares Billy Anderson of the Power Coalition’s Northwestern Louisiana chapter.
He says, “Folks who live in rural communities struggle with that. We also have a population in Shreveport, in north Louisiana, who don’t necessarily have cars to get to their polling location.”
Explainer: How accessible are the election polls?
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) —During the upcoming Presidential election, people living in inner cities and urban areas may be able to walk to their polling location; however, people with disabilities and rural residents have an extra barrier: transportation.
The nonprofit organization Power Coalition will offer “Power Rides” to help transport rural, disabled, and people without a car to and from the polls.
“One of the major things we see is that people who live in rural communities don’t necessarily have access to their voting sites,” shares Billy Anderson of the Power Coalition’s Northwestern Louisiana chapter.
He says, “Folks who live in rural communities struggle with that. We also have a population in Shreveport, in north Louisiana, who don’t necessarily have cars to get to their polling location.”
Announcing the 2024 Women of the Year & Nonprofit Organizations
Honorees for the 2024 class of CityBusiness Women of the Year & Nonprofit Organizations have been selected.
Women of the Year recognizes women from the area whose successes in business and contributions to the community have made them movers and shakers in the region. CityBusiness also recognizes nonprofit organizations that have gone above and beyond in serving the needs of local women and/or children.
This year’s Women of the Year honorees include Ashley K. Shelton and the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice.
All honorees will be celebrated from 4-6 p.m. Monday, November 4, at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Register for the event at https://web.cvent.com/event/15572975-ee82-40de-be89-55f6f6e16260/register. A publication profiling the honorees will be inserted into the November 15 issue of CityBusiness.
Power Coalition offers $2.5K and free breakfast; what you need to know
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)—This Saturday, the Power Coalition, a nonprofit organization, will host a complimentary breakfast for the public and faith leaders to educate and empower voters for this upcoming presidential election.
Power Coalition details faith leaders are also eligible for a $2.5K ‘mini-grant’ to raise voter engagement.
“Our goal is to: one, feed people a delicious breakfast and two, educate the people of the upcoming election on November 5th,” shares Billy Anderson, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice’s Northern Louisiana Organizer.
Power Coalition says this presidential election is critical for Shreveport residents as they could be a part of the new majority-minority District 6.
Anderson shares that faith leaders and churches have played a pivotal role and have historically been the focal point for community voter engagement.
Step Up Louisiana Announces Once-in-a-Generation Investment in Grassroots Organizing
NEW ORLEANS — Step Up Louisiana announced a “once in a generation” investment in grassroots organizing in the Deep South. The Fall for Liberation is an organizing drive that will train 50 Southeast Louisiana residents on community, labor and electoral organizing. With plans to knock on more than 100,000 doors and have thousands of conversations with workers and voters in our communities, the project has the potential to reshape upcoming elections in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Jefferson Parish.
Drawing inspiration from the Civil Rights Movement’s Freedom Summer, the Fall for Liberation seeks to build on the legacy of other movements like the Fight for $15 that have used a large-scale investment in organizing capacity to win rights and raises for working class Louisianans. Despite the victories of these movements, Black Louisianans live 8% shorter lives than white Louisianans, and Black residents in communities with industrial plants experience seven to 21 times more toxic air emissions than similar communities with more white residents. Seventy-six percent of students at F-rated schools are Black, while only seven percent are white.
New voting center opens in New Orleans’ Central City for 2024 presidential election
Leaders of nonprofits Women with a Vision and the Power Coalition on Monday started the week by cutting the ribbon on a brand-new voter engagement center in New Orleans’ Central City neighborhood.
The center, next door to WWAV’s office, has four round tables with purple and green velvet chairs, as well as plush window seating and countertop space in front of a wall of greenery. The nonprofits plan to use the space to have open office hours, where people can stop by and ask any questions they may have about voting this fall.
It also will be a place that groups and residents can use to host voting events, even if that’s just some friends getting together.
“There are so many misconceptions about who can vote, when you vote, what to do to vote and how to get engaged, and some people feel a lot of shame about not knowing that,” WWAV Executive Director Deon Haywood told Gambit. “We just wanted to create a space where people felt like they can get anything they needed around voting.”
Secretary of State issues guidance on new voter registration drive law
Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry has released guidance on a new law that requires organizers to register with her office before conducting a voter registration drive.
House Bill 506, sponsored by Rep. Polly Thomas, R-Metairie, takes effect Thursday and mandates that anyone wishing to conduct a voter registration drive sign up with the Secretary of State.
The law is expected to mostly affect voter advocacy groups and other non-governmental organizations such as the Urban League and Power Coalition for Equity and Justice.
Landry’s rules include:
- Anyone conducting fully electronic drives that use only the secretary of state’s voter portal at GeauxVote.com to register voters will not be required to register their drives.
- Organizers can sign up either in-person at the Secretary of State’s office in Baton Rouge or their parish registrar of voters. Online registration is available by emailing outreach@sos.la.gov. The sign-up involves filling out a “Voter Registration Drive Contact Form,” which is available on the secretary’s website.
- Anyone conducting a registration drive must submit all completed voter registration applications to their parish registrar of voters either within 30 days of their completion or no later than the close of registration for the next election, whichever comes first.
Black Voters in Louisiana Ask Supreme Court to Uphold Map with Two Majority-Black Districts Beyond 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Black voters asked the Supreme Court to take up a case to determine whether Louisiana will maintain the map enacted by the state legislature this year, which includes two majority-Black districts, following the 2024 elections. The appeal in Robinson v. Callais comes after the Court granted an emergency stay in May, pausing a district court’s decision to overturn the map, and allowing it to go into effect for the 2024 elections. The question remains whether the map will stand for the remainder of the decade until the next redistricting process.
Louisiana’s current congressional map was drawn in direct response to a separate lawsuit, Robinson v. Landry. There, a federal court found that the state’s map passed in 2022, which included only one majority-Black district, likely violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The same Black voters and civic organizations who filed today with the Supreme Court are responsible for that landmark win, which has been sustained on appeal.
“In January, the Louisiana Legislature finally did what it should have done in 2022: pass a fair map that reflects the diversity of the great state of Louisiana,” said Stuart Naifeh, redistricting manager for the Legal Defense Fund. “It was wrong for the lower court to disrupt the state’s effort to do the right thing and throw the 2024 election into chaos. The Supreme Court set that right for this election cycle by allowing, and as our filing explains, federal law and the Constitution require that Louisiana maintain this new map until the next census.”
“This year, Black voters in Louisiana will have an opportunity to elect their candidates of choice for two congressional seats—the same should be true moving forward,” said Ashley Shelton, president/CEO of Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “The law, and basic principles of fairness, point in this direction. Black voters have mobilized since the beginning of the redistricting process in Louisiana. We will continue to mobilize to the polls. And we will continue to fight for fair maps until these cases are complete.”
Advocates tour Louisiana to register voters, educate citizens on voting rights
A Louisiana voting rights advocacy group is touring the state this summer to register Black voters and educate residents on their voting rights in order to increase turnout in the 2024 elections.
In honor of the 1964 Freedom Summer voter registration drive, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice is going to cities across Louisiana on a tour named after the historic civil rights era political action. The group is registering residents to vote in these cities and informing them on how to navigate potential barriers to vote. For instance, organizers have been teaching residents about a new state law going into effect Aug. 1, stipulating that only immediate family members or voter registrar employees will be able to assist with absentee ballots for more than one voter.
The tour also features information on polling locations and speakers from various social justice and social support organizations, such as the NAACP, Voice of the Experienced and Women with a Vision.
In addition to the presidential election, voters in Louisiana will decide in November on six congressional seats, a state Supreme Court judgeship and a ballot measure related to federal revenues from energy production. Ashley Shelton, founder and CEO of the Power Coalition, said her organization wants to make sure Louisiana voters know what is on the ballot.
“We need voters to make it down the ballot and understand the power they have to change not only their communities but the country,” Shelton said.
There will now be free parking at New Orleans City Hall during early voting periods
The New Orleans City Council on Thursday voted to waive parking fees for the streets surrounding City Hall during early voting periods — in time for the presidential election this fall.
The state assigns registered voters a specific early voting location, and for many in New Orleans, that’s City Hall, which is located in the Central Business District with paid street parking. The city will put up signs that say the free short-term parking is for voters only.
Early voting for the presidential election runs 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 18-29, excluding both Sundays. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Voting advocate and BikeNVote founder Morgan Walker brought the idea to the council to help make voting easier for people heading to City Hall.
Walker “actually brought this to my attention about how often people come to try to early vote at City Hall, but there’s no parking or it’s a difficulty for some to pay for the parking,” said Council President Helena Moreno at a council committee meeting Wednesday.
How does voting by mail work in Louisiana? Here’s what to know about the state’s new rules.
A slew of laws quietly passed during the most recent Louisiana legislative session will make rules surrounding absentee voting more strict during the upcoming November election and beyond.
The changes are most likely to impact voters with disabilities and could also affect Democrats, who are more likely to vote by mail than their Republican counterparts.
Though Louisiana has a strong election security system, Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry said the changes would “bring us closer to being ranked first in the nation for election integrity.”
But critics say the laws amount to voter suppression, and a lawsuit has been filed alleging the rules will harm disabled voters. Also of concern is how the changes will impact those assisting elderly or disabled voters in filling out their ballots.
THE SOUTH’S GOT NOW | DECIDIMOS CAMPAIGN SPOTLIGHTS POWER OF EVERY VOTE
Black voters in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, were outraged when a state judge ruled last Decemberthat their favored candidate for sheriff, Henry Whitehorn, had to submit to a third election after he won a runoff by one vote and a recount confirmed his one-vote margin of victory.
Throwing out the election results particularly stung because Whitehorn would not only be the first Black sheriff in Caddo Parish, but one of only a handful of Black sheriffs in Louisiana history.
Whitehorn is a Black man with decades of Louisiana law enforcement experience, including 10 years as a U.S. marshal after President Barack Obama nominated him for the position. His challenger was a lawyer without law enforcement credentials.
“We were aghast that they wouldn’t uphold the recount,” said Billy Anderson, the North Louisiana organizer for the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “Sometimes an election can come down to race.”
Additional relocation meetings for displaced Shreveport residents
SHREVEPORT, La. – It’s a story KTBS 3 has been covering for weeks, water is to be shut off at the end of the month at the Pines, Villa Norte, and The Jolie apartments due to unpaid water bills, leaving hundreds of residents in search of a new home.
Recently the city scheduled additional meetings for relocation assistance.
Many residents came for relocation help with 9 days left to move out, leaving many still desperate for help.
“I recommend nobody will have to ever, ever live like this. You know, do the things that we’re going through. We are trying to do better. We just in a situation to what we cannot do better right now. We all have a cry right now for help,” said Tracey Collins, resident of The Jolie Apartments.
Around 60 people showed up to Friday’s relocation meetings, 30 of them have found new homes.
City, Power Coalition and Providence House offer support to displaced residents of 3 apartment complexes
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — Displaced residents of three Shreveport apartment complexes met with city officials during emergency relocation assistance meetings Tuesday (May 21) evening.
In just 10 days, water service will be discontinued at The Jolie, Villa Norte and Pines apartments. That has hundreds of residents searching for a place to live.
“We’re asking for help. We’re needing help tremendously right now. We’re needing help bad,” said Tracey Collins, a resident of The Jolie Apartments.
Dozens of Shreveport families are searching for a new place to call home after receiving notice that their utilities would be disconnected at the end of the month.
“So now I have no air in my apartment unit; I have no running water in my apartment unit,” Collins said.
But for some residents at The Jolie, they were given no notice and already are experiencing utility shutoffs.
“I have four kids in my apartment that are in heat. My thermostat is on 81º,” Collins said. “I have no running water. I have to get out and Doordash every day to make sure I can get enough water to flush.”
Residents look forward to more comfortable living conditions after forced moves
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) – An emergency program has been announced to assist residents who will be displaced when utilities are cut off at two apartment complexes in Shreveport.
On May 15, the City of Shreveport announced an Emergency Apartment Relocation Assistance Program for the residents of two apartments, Jolie and Villa Norte. The program has been introduced following the announcement that utilities will be cut off at both apartment complexes on May 31 due to unpaid bills.
Multiple apartment complexes will soon have their water turned off due to lack of payments.
The program aims to provide necessary aid and resources to support the residents.
Both meetings regarding the program will be held on May 17.
Supreme Court Reinstates Congressional Map With Two Majority-Minority Districts
On May 15th 2024, the US Supreme Court made history by reinstating Louisiana’s new congressional map voted in by the Louisiana legislature and fought for by activists throughout the state, including the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. The state of Louisiana now has a congressional map that contains a second Black-majority district that will be in effect in time for the November general election. The court voted to grant a stay in Robinson V. Callias, after a district court made a decision to strike down the congressional map introduced by SB8 in January. The court ruled that the maps were “an impermissible racial gerrymander in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment”. The panel was made up of three judges, and the authors of the majority opinion were appointed by former President Donald Trump. SB8 was created in response to Robinson V. Landry, where the 2022 …
Supreme Court, for Now, Allows Louisiana Voting Map to Move Forward
The Supreme Court on Wednesday temporarily reinstated a congressional map in Louisiana that includes a second majority-Black district, increasing the likelihood that Democrats could gain a House seat from the state in the November election.
The move could be particularly significant in an election cycle in which the balance of power in the House is likely to be determined by a handful of races.
The order was unsigned, as is the Supreme Court’s custom in ruling on emergency applications. It came in response to a challenge to a lower-court decision that had blocked the map drawn by Louisiana’s Republican-controlled Legislature, deeming it a racial gerrymander.
Supreme Court allows Louisiana to use congressional map with second majority-Black district
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday paved the way for Louisiana to use a congressional map in this year’s election that includes two majority-Black districts.
The court granted emergency requests filed by an unlikely alliance of Republican state officials and civil rights groups, who were united in asking the high court to block a lower court ruling that invalidated the most recently drawn map. State officials had said they needed to have the map finalized by Wednesday to meet bureaucratic deadlines and avoid “disarray.”
The court’s three liberal justices dissented, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson writing that the state still had time to draw a map that would address the various legal questions that have been raised. The court has a 6-3 conservative majority.
Emergency Apartment Relocation Assistance Program announced for Jolie, Villa Norte apartments
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) – An emergency program has been announced to assist residents who will be displaced when utilities are cut off at two apartment complexes in Shreveport.
On May 15, the City of Shreveport announced an Emergency Apartment Relocation Assistance Program for the residents of two apartments, Jolie and Villa Norte. The program has been introduced following the announcement that utilities will be cut off at both apartment complexes on May 31 due to unpaid bills.
Multiple apartment complexes will soon have their water turned off due to lack of payments.
The program aims to provide necessary aid and resources to support the residents.
Both meetings regarding the program will be held on May 17.
Federal Judges Block Newly Drawn Louisiana Congressional Map
A newly drawn congressional map in Louisiana was struck down on Tuesday by a panel of federal judges who found that the new boundaries, which form a second majority Black district in the state, amounted to an “impermissible racial gerrymander” that violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
The 2-to-1 ruling now leaves uncertain which boundaries will be used in the November elections, which are just six months away and could play a critical role in determining the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
Critics warned that the decision could have broader implications on voting rights. Eric H. Holder Jr., the former U.S. attorney general and current chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said the “ideological nature of the decision could not be more clear.”
House Bill 800: Why Senators Should Not Sell Louisiana (Or Any Other State) To Big Business
The State Constitution of Louisiana is not perfect; no state constitution is. But that doesn’t mean state constitutions should be tossed aside or arbitrarily opened with no clarity on the rationale for doing so. It takes time to craft a governing document, and it takes time to protect the individual liberties and basic rights of all. But in seeking to host a constitutional convention, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is undermining democracy and putting Louisianians at risk.
Under House Bill 800, legislators would convene on May 20, write a new state constitution by June 15 and put it on the ballot during the 2024 presidential election. This narrow window would make it hard for Louisianians to understand the process, offer input, or ensure that their rights are protected. The convention itself, and the short timeline for it, would also compromise local governments and institutions.
Ida B. Wells Was a Pathbreaking Data Storyteller
In our movement for a just democracy, we often affirm that data and technology, in the hands of oppressed communities, can help liberate us. The life and legacy of Ida B. Wells-Barnett provides compelling evidence of this truth. Born Ida Bell Wells in Holly Springs, Mississippi in 1862 and often writing under the pseudonym, “Lola” throughout her career, Wells’ legacy as a courageous reporter and activist has made her a symbol of justice journalism, Black resistance, and Black feminist organizing. Her work also proved that data is more accurate when collected and driven by communities, making her a trailblazing data specialist and storyteller.
Power Coalition rep discusses Shreveport’s 3 bond proposals
BIlly Anderson, North Louisiana Organizer for the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice discusses the 3 Bond Proposals before Shreveport Voters. Election Day is Saturday, April 27.
Louisiana Congressional map debate continues in federal court
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)—The recently passed Louisiana Congressional district map is being debated in federal court after opponents filed a lawsuit calling it unconstitutional.
Plaintiffs said they brought the lawsuit because they believe the map was drawn unconstitutionally, with race being a prominent factor.
The newly drawn map passed in the 2024 Special Legislative Session, created a second Black majority out of Louisiana’s six districts to comply with the Voting Rights Act. Because 1/3 of voters in Louisiana are Black, the Act requires that the district be drawn to reflect that representation.
Jared Evans, Senior Policy counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, argues that the goal of the plaintiffs is to “have a district with one majority Black district and five majority White that elect White republicans.”
Hearing underway on attempt to overthrow La.’s congressional map
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — The trial over a lawsuit attempting to overthrow Louisiana’s new congressional map will continue Wednesday (April 10).
The hearing before a three-judge panel is being held in Shreveport. It began Monday and could last at least one more day.
Earlier this year, Louisiana lawmakers were tasked with making the map after a judge said a previous one violated the Voting Rights Act. The judge said Louisiana must have two majority-minority districts since one-third of its population is African-American. The previous map had one such district.
Under the latest map, the new 6th Congressional District extends from southern Caddo Parish through Natchitoches and Alexandria to Baton Rouge. The new boundaries jeopardize Republican Congressman Garret Graves’ place in Congress.
Jeff Landry targeted Garret Graves in redrawing district map, LA lawmaker testifies
The trial to decide the fate of Louisiana’s congressional representation continued in Shreveport on Tuesday, as the court heard further testimony from elected officials and demographics experts.
The trial is the result of a federal lawsuit filed by a group of Louisiana residents that argued that the congressional map supported by Gov. Jeff Landry and approved by the state Legislature in January amounted to an unconstitutional “racial gerrymander.” The map, introduced in Senate Bill 8, created a new majority Black congressional district stretching diagonally across the state to encompass the large Black communities in and around Shreveport, Alexandria, Lafayette and Baton Rouge.
Environmental Protection Agency Gives $20 Billion in ‘Green Bank’ Grants
When Marcus Jones and his business partner, Akunna Olumba, set out to open a pizzeria in Detroit, they spoke with banks about their green vision: solar panels on the roof, an energy-efficient tankless water heater and a rooftop system to capture storm water. “The lenders thought we were crazy,” Mr. Jones said. Traditional banks were skeptical that such investments would yield a return, and few had ever issued loans for clean energy or efficiency measures. They told the restaurateurs that it simply was not done. Instead, the pair connected with a so-called green bank, one of a growing number of entities that loan money to businesses and individuals for equipment or technology that reduces the pollution driving climate change.
Winning Women
Women of color leaders across the US South are bringing in wins big and small that propel us toward cleaner energy, build health and wealth in disinvested communities, and protect democratic rights for Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and other marginalized populations. These are just a few of the wins and the women behind them we’re celebrating this women’s month.
Shining a Light On: Ashley Shelton
This month, we are shining a light on Ashley Shelton, the Founder, President & CEO of the Power Coalition, a statewide 501c3 table in Louisiana. The Power Coalition uses a broad-based strategy that combines community organizing, issue advocacy, and civic action, all while increasing the capacity of community organizations throughout the state to sustain and hold the work. Prior to founding the Power Coalition, Ashley was the Vice President of Programs at the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation (LDRF), now known as the Foundation for Louisiana.
Beauty, Barbers, and Ballots event stresses voting, civic engagement
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)—Local hair salon owners are partnered to host a Beauty, Barbers, and Ballots mixer. The event kicked off at Haze on Texas Street at 8 pm and went on until midnight. The event creators aimed to unite beauty professionals and enthusiasts to promote voter registration and participation and to get people out to party with a purpose.
Louisiana legislation targets mail-in absentee voting as it gains in popularity
Louisiana lawmakers have filed legislation that would make it harder to vote by mail, particularly for elderly shut-ins and people with disabilities, just as record numbers cast ballots Saturday on the first day of early voting in the state’s March 23 presidential primary election. Since Louisiana adopted early voting almost 20 years ago, it has steadily grown in popularity. The coronavirus pandemic created a surge in mail-in voting that continues to increase, according to Baton Rouge pollster John Couvillon. Saturday saw a 17% increase in mail-in voting for the first day of early voting compared with the 2020 presidential primary. There was an even greater spike for In-person early voting, which was up 89% relative to four years ago, with six days remaining to cast a ballot ahead of time.
Early voting begins in Shreveport
Early voting began Saturday morning, March 9, 2024, at Caddo Parish Registrar of Voters located at 525 Marshall Street in downtown Shreveport.
Baton Rouge Bike N Vote gets community involved with early voting
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The Presidential Preference Primary and Municipal Primary Election is set for Saturday, March 23 and while the voter registration deadline has passed, local organizations are working to get the community to take advantage of early voting. The Power Coalition of Equity and Justice in partnership with Geaux Ride Baton Rouge and Bike N Vote is making it their mission to get people to the polls with one of their signature events, biking to the polls.
Mardi Gras is Revolutionary
As the executive director of Women With A Vision—an organization that has worked at the intersections of HIV/AIDS, reproductive justice, the criminalization of Black women and girls, and queer liberation for more than three decades—every day I see the ways oppressive systems leave too many fighting for survival. Too often I hear the work of organizers and activists described in opposition. I have not spent over 30 years of my life in the fight for social justice to just see a world “without.” A world without racism or capitalism isn’t enough. We’re working to topple oppressive systems because we deserve so much more. The end of these systems is just the starting point. I’m looking toward a future filled with pleasure and joy and community, one where we are free to create art and dance and share our talents. I’m looking forward to a world that looks a little like Mardi …
Civil Rights Groups Secure Victory in Landmark Case Challenging Racial Discrimination in Louisiana’s State Legislative Maps
BATON ROUGE, La. — In a victory for fair maps, a federal court today ruled in favor of Louisiana voters, agreeing that the current state House and Senate district maps violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The plaintiffs who challenged the state legislative maps — the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP, Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute, and several individual voters — are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Louisiana, Legal Defense Fund (LDF), law firm Cozen O’ Connor, and Louisiana attorneys Ron Wilson and John Adcock. In its decision, the court condemned the packing and cracking of Black communities within the maps, emphasizing the importance of upholding the principles of equal representation for all citizens. In response to these findings, the court has mandated remedial measures to rectify the discriminatory boundaries, ensuring that future elections reflect the true diversity of the Louisiana population. …
Black Louisianans Enter a New Political Era
With a fair congressional map signed into law, advocates shift to making sure that residents understand the stakes of this year’s elections. Baton Rouge resident Ashley Shelton was overjoyed when she learned that, after a years-long legal battle, Black Louisianans have secured greater political representation. On Monday, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed into law a map that follows the math by adding a second majority-Black congressional district. Previously, Black Louisianans had a fair shot at electing their preferred candidate in only one of the Bayou State’s six congressional districts, even though Louisiana is 33% Black. “This whole story has been about the judges, the U.S. Supreme Court, the legislators, the governors. But, ultimately, the people are who got us here,” Shelton, the president and founder of the New Orleans-based nonprofit Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, which was a plaintiff in the case, told Capital B. “People power made this happen — …
Deep investments in energy savings approved today!
After a 13 year process, the Louisiana Public Service Commission voted 3-2 to approve a Final Rule with a Third-Party Administrator (TPA) model to administer robust statewide energy efficiency programs. Louisiana residents use at least 30% more electricity than the average American household, wasting millions of dollars a year on high utility bills. This is due in part to leaky, inefficient housing across the state. Now, after more than 13-years of regulatory proceedings, the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) has approved long-term energy efficiency programs for Louisianans that will scale up over the coming decade to save energy and money, improve health and safety, and invest millions of dollars in homes and small businesses. Since 2009, The Alliance has participated in LPSC proceedings, advocating for strong efficiency programs that reduce costs for residents by increasing funding options that allow Louisianans to make home improvements to safeguard their homes from extreme weather.
Entergy Louisiana receives approval for additional renewable power facilities
BATON ROUGE, La. – To meet customers’ needs for renewable energy, the Louisiana Public Service Commission approved the construction of facilities that would add approximately 225 megawatts of solar power to Entergy Louisiana’s generation portfolio. In 2023, the company sought Commission approval of two projects to source more solar energy – one in Iberville Parish that would account for approximately 175 megawatts, the other in Ouachita Parish that would be referred to as the Sterlington Solar Facility and account for an additional 49 megawatts. The Sterlington Solar Facility will be constructed adjacent to the site of one of Entergy Louisiana’s oldest power plants, symbolizing the modernization of the company’s generation fleet to more efficient, cleaner sources of power. The Sterlington Power Station was built and placed into operation in the 1920’s and initially produced around 25 megawatts of power.
Louisiana makes history with new Black congressional district that includes Shreveport
Louisiana has a second majority Black congressional district for the first time in decades after Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed off on a new map Monday passed by the Legislature during a Special Session last week. Lawmakers dismantled Republican U.S. Rep. Garret Graves’ 6th Congressional District to create the new majority Black district that includes parts of Shreveport, Alexandria, and Baton Rouge as the population centers, putting Graves’ political future in danger.
Louisiana Lawmakers Approve Map That Empowers More Black Voters
The Legislature passed a congressional map that creates a second majority-Black district while shielding the state’s most powerful conservatives in Washington from political jeopardy. Louisiana lawmakers on Friday approved a new congressional map that would create a second district with a majority of Black voters, after a federal court found that the existing map appeared to illegally undercut the power of Black voters in the state. Given that Black voters often back Democratic candidates in the state, the new map also increases the possibility of Democrats’ taking control of a second congressional seat in Louisiana.
Advocates to Hold Mass Mobilization Event at Louisiana Capitol Before Redistricting Committee Meeting and Public Hearing
BATON ROUGE, La. – A pivotal Mass Mobilization Event is set for Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at 8 a.m. at the Louisiana Capitol Park Museum. Organized by Power Coalition, this event is a critical response to the special legislative session called by Gov. Jeff Landry, symbolically starting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, underscoring the ongoing struggle for racial equality and fair representation. Collaborators include NAACP LDF,SPLC, ACLU Louisiana, Step Up Louisiana, Bike N Vote, A Bella La Femme Society,A’sani Heartbeat Foundation, and Alabama Values. The event precedes the legislative session’s committee hearing and public testimony, starting with a training breakfast with legal experts Jared Evans and Victoria Wenger from the Legal Defense Fund. Attendees will also receive additional education from the Power Coalition and other advocates regarding the ongoing fight for fair maps and how it’s connected to community issues. The mass mobilization is designed to educate and prepare community members to use their voices during …
How Phase III came to be
Though they once applauded the jail’s ambitious, federally overseen reforms, community groups and political leaders in New Orleans united in opposition to a key mandate stemming from those efforts: the construction of a $109 million mental health jail. Mayors agreed to it, opposed it, agreed to it again, and opposed it again. Multiple working groups met to produce lengthy reports on it, and possible alternatives. Advocates tried to stop its construction by blocking zoning permits, funding allocations, and attempting to influence FEMA environmental-impact statements. They camped out in front of City Hall, organized a letter-writing campaign to a federal judge and held rallies and second lines in opposition. A reform candidate ran for sheriff touting her disapproval of it — and won.
Activists who engage with voters of color are looking for messages that will resonate in 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) — This year’s elections in Louisiana didn’t go the way that voting rights advocate Ashley Shelton had hoped, with the far-right conservative attorney general replacing a term-limited Democratic governor and consolidating Republican control in the state. Turnout was just 37%, despite the efforts of activists like her. “Even when you work hard and you do all the things you’re supposed to, you get an unfortunate outcome, which was these statewide elections,” said Shelton, the executive director of Power Coalition for Equity & Justice in Louisiana.
It Takes A Village: New Orleans Group Partners With Others To Get Out The Vote
At a recent listening session, Ashley Shelton, founder and executive director of the New Orleans-based nonprofit Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, learned something about why Louisiana’s Black vote in November’s statewide general elections was the lowest in more than a decade. “Nothing is changed in my life,” a Black, middle-aged contractor told the group, beginning an exchange with Shelton about how the 2024 elections will affect his life.
Judge makes ruling in Caddo Parish sheriff recount lawsuit
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 was further ordered a new runoff election shall be conducted. It’s expected that Whitehorn’s team will appeal this decision. They have until 9:56 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 8 to do so. The ruling states “it was proven beyond any doubt that there were at least 11 illegal votes cast and counted” and that it is “legally impossible to know what the true vote should have been.”
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 season has been exceptionally quiet in terms of turnout amongst some of the most vulnerable of populations and it is extremely important to center them and meet them where they are. Come by one of the following churches during the scheduled times, and pick up a food box and a sample ballot and amendment booklet on Election Day! What: Thanksgiving Holiday Food Box Distribution Where: Elm Grove Baptist Church:11 am until 1 pm. Beacon Light of Baton Rouge: 2 pm until 4 pm. Shiloh Missionary Baptist church: 2pm until 4pm. Contact: …
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 — and the hard right state government it portends as a call to action, not a time to throw in the towel.
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 to advocate for voters as they push for a fair map.”
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, and foster care to promote bonding with a new child. A Louisiana State Civil Service Rule covers classified employees, and an executive order issued by Gov. John Bel Edwards covers unclassified employees and appointees. Approximately 70,000 state employees will be covered under the combined actions effective January 1, 2024. These landmark decisions are a testament to our state’s commitment to supporting working parents and promoting health equity. We proudly join a growing list of states, including Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina and Texas, that have already adopted similar paid parental leave …
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 are becoming the new normal, but Louisiana has lived this climate reality for a long time now, enduring loss and devastation year after year. Growing up in the marshy, humid environment of the Gulf Coast, the place I’ve called home my whole life, it’s devastating to see the people and places we love suffering from drought and fires. Louisiana is used to life-threatening weather events — from hurricanes to extreme flooding and tornadoes — but these new disasters pose another set of risks, especially for Black people. Too often, the …
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 become drier, annual rainfall has increased, more rain arrives in heavy downpours, and sea level is rising, the organization states.
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 at 6:30 p.m. This filmed play shares the voices of national civil rights leaders who pioneered the battle for African American voting rights with a young man not aware of the power of his vote and its relevance to his life. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Cultural Crossroads, a non-profit committed to preserving and promoting BIPOC cultural and artistic expression, hosted the Artspreneur: The Business of Art Conference in Baton Rouge last March. At the conference, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice granted four artists commissions themed “Your …