Op-Eds
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
A Win for Caddo Voters
Nearly 30,000 Caddo Parish residents voted early in 2020. During that critical election, many voters endured long lines that wrapped ...
Black Voters Are Fighting Racial Gerrymandering in Louisiana
Black women are uniquely saddled with student loan debt. by Ashley Shelton in Truthout From record inflation to attacks on ...
OP-ED: President Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Is Important, But More Must Be Done For Black Women
Black women are uniquely saddled with student loan debt. by Ashley Shelton in NewsOne President Joe Biden recently announced plans to cancel ...
OP-ED: This Hurricane Season, Disaster Recovery Must Be Equitable And Just
Few people recognize the trauma that can arise from living through a natural disaster that is worsened by climate change ...
FEMA Isn’t the Only Solution to Climate Disaster. Government Must Fund Mutual Aid.
June 1 marks the start of hurricane and wildfire season. This is a time when many wait with bated breath, ...
Beyond Earth Day: More Must be Done to Address Environmental Racism
Earth Day has passed but the need to continue the fight for environmental justice remains. We started our organization, the ...
The Fight for Our Schools Is Not Over
by Kaitlyn Joshua for the Bayou Progressive In case you hadn’t heard yet, on Thursday, April 7, the East Baton ...
Why Voters Have the Right to a Real Chance at Representation
The lawful and efficient exercise of Democracy in the United States depends on voters being able to freely choose their ...
Redistricting Tactics Threaten to Suppress Black Representation in Louisiana
By Ashley Shelton Originally published in Truthout.org The Louisiana Senate recently continued the state’s long history of racial oppression by ...
Every Voice Matters: Why Redistricting Is Important
Ashley Shelton, Executive Director of the Power Coalition of Equity & Justice, discusses redistricting in Louisiana. By Ashley K. Shelton ...
Disaster Recovery: A System That Continues to Fail Its People
OPINION: It is imperative that groups seeking to offer humanitarian relief direct funds to grassroots groups who are clNonprofits and ...
On Hurricane Ida, COVID-19, and trauma: Resilience cannot be a permanent state
Today, one day after the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I cannot help but reflect as Ida ravishes our state. This ...
Louisiana has a voting access problem; expanding the number of voting days could help
Louisiana has a voting access problem, particularly in areas where Black voters reside. But one bill before the Louisiana Legislature, HB ...
Will Sutton: Hurricane Zeta disrupted voting, and we should find a way to make votes count
WEST MONROE, LA. (KTVE/KARD)– Candice Battiste with Power Coalition Equity and Justice said this year’s early voter turnout was record ...
Voting clouded by mystery for now
In between hurricanes over the past week or so, and in the wake of the national conventions for the Democratic ...
Mark Ballard: My wife Donna Britt has ALS. This is the complex process she must follow to vote.
Like Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, every election day, my wife and I made a point of walking to ...
Guest column: Get involved in the census count, or we all pay a high price
On Aug. 3, the Census Bureau issued a statement saying, “We will end field data collection by September 30, 2020 ...
Viewpoint: Before Kamala Harris, a very long battle for women in politics
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris’ selection as the 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee — and potentially the most consequential vice president ...
Ashley Shelton and Candice Battiste: Now is the time to act on police reform
Not long after George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis, which sparked Black Lives Matter protests locally, nationally, and globally, the people ...
Commentary: Lawsuits rightly take aim at limits to mail balloting during pandemic
When the League of Women Voters challenges a state’s election laws in federal court, claiming those laws violate fundamental constitutional ...
The Coronavirus Is Devastating Already Devastated Communities
The Coronavirus Is Devastating Already Devastated Communities The people and equity-centered recovery approach we are putting forward is intended to ...
United Way: Coronavius crisis makes equity and progress more important
United Way: Coronavius crisis makes equity and progress more important BY KIM SPORT and CHARMAINE CACCIOPPI MAY 4, 2020 - ...
Guest column: Start to plan for long-term vision of more just and prosperous Louisiana
Guest column: Start to plan for long-term vision of more just and prosperous Louisiana By MELISSA S. FLOURNOY APR 29, 2020 ...
I Never Planned to Be a Front-Line Worker at Dollar General
I Never Planned to Be a Front-Line Worker at Dollar General By Kenya Slaughter Ms. Slaughter works at Dollar General ...
Viewpoint: Mail-in ballots are essential for the safety of Louisiana voters
Who wants to potentially put themselves or their family members at risk by voting at a poll on upcoming election ...
Letters: Voters’ commitment to Medicaid mean Louisiana is better off in crisis
Letters: Voters' commitment to Medicaid mean Louisiana is better off in crisis by Ashley Shelton, Executive Director for the Power ...
Letters: No way for an ordinary worker to win in today’s system
Letters: No way for an ordinary worker to win in today's system BYÂ CLARIONTA JONES MARCH 30, 2020 - 6:00 PM ...
Our Views: Looking for an easy way to contribute? Fill out that census questionnaire
Our Views: Looking for an easy way to contribute? Fill out that census questionnaire Staff Editorial for The Advocate By ...
Our Views: In 2020, let’s all stand up and be counted
Our Views: In 2020, let's all stand up and be counted STAFF EDITORIAL | Â JAN 1, 2020 - 6:00 AM ...
Families and Activism Drive Real Change in Louisiana
Families and Activism Drive Real Change in Louisiana In an opinion essay, Ashley Shelton of the Power Coalition in Louisiana ...
Raise minimum wage, as the people want politicians to do
BY ASHLEY SHELTON and MATT WOOD The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed the Raise the Wage Act, which ...
Kyle Ardoin can be a leader in ensuring fair, impartial elections
Louisiana is making progress towards ensuring free and fair elections for all voters. In addition to taking steps towards replacing ...