This guest opinion column was originally published on AL.com.
Last month the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in Washington, D.C. for Merrill vs. Milligan, a case challenging Alabama’s 2021 congressional redistricting plan. During oral arguments, the State of Alabama argued: “Alabama conducted its 2021 redistricting in a lawful, race-neutral manner. The state largely retained its existing districts and made changes needed to equalize population.”
But as a native of Alabama and one of the plaintiffs in this case, I know this is far from the truth.
I am the executive director of Alabama Forward, a statewide network that brings together nonpartisan organizations to engage the community in civic issues, such as voting rights protection and voter registration.
Given my roots in social advocacy and politics, I know firsthand what our case means for the future of this state and Black people’s ability to have their voices heard at the ballot box. And so do my co-plaintiffs who include other Alabama natives and fellow advocacy leaders: Khadidah Stone, Shalela Dowdy, and Letetia Jackson, as well as local social justice organizations, Greater Birmingham Ministries and the Alabama State Conference NAACP.
The fact remains: state leaders could have produced maps that featured two opportunity districts where Black Alabamians can elect a candidate of choice. Still, when they were provided options, they ignored them at every step. They disregarded the citizens who went to the public hearings, the advocates who sent open letters to the reapportionment committee, and even the three-federal judge panel who ruled unanimously in our favor. Instead, our state’s leaders chose to dilute the voting rights of Black Alabamians via a congressional map that the Supreme Court has unfortunately allowed to stand during our upcoming elections.
This racial discrimination is hindering Alabama’s ability to achieve its fullest potential. Black communities in Alabama have a rich history that has been uniquely preserved here: oral storytelling cultures, diverse local accents, folk art and roots music traditions, and longstanding family gatherings. These aspects of our culture represent a commitment to overcoming adverse conditions that have inspired in me — and many others — a deep love for our home state.
I’ve seen enough to know that this place is beautiful in the most surprising ways, but that we also have deep, troubling roots that do not have race-neutral origins. White supremacy continues to strangle our state, threatening the lives of all non-white people, and even many white people who are women, LGBTQ+, or dare question authority. If we can confront this racism and systemic prejudice, then we can realize a freer and more equitable Alabama. Hopefully, the U.S. Supreme Court will recognize Alabama’s thin appeals to race-neutrality are a denialist attempt to avoid the equitable policy-making our communities deserve.
However, we won’t rest solely on prayers for a favorable Supreme Court decision. In collaboration with over 35 civic engagement member groups based around the entire state, Alabama Forward is working around the clock to educate our communities and let them know what’s at stake. That’s why we’ve partnered with allies to establish Power on the Line, a pro-democracy movement fighting for permanent voting rights protections by using the situation in Alabama — and similar ones taking place in Louisiana and North Carolina simultaneously – to mobilize Americans across the country to join this cause.
Additionally, we’ve created Shake the Field, a digital space uniquely designed to educate and mobilize Alabamians through the intersections of art, culture, and community. Through this initiative, we’ve been hosting the Trap Democracy Festival events, which aim to reach Black communities that have long been neglected by political institutions.
We know that much of what the public has heard about our case has been mostly in legal terms, but we want to make it clear that whatever happens in Alabama will set a precedent for the future of Black voters, people of color, and anyone committed to democracy across the United States for years to come. We must also remember that the courts don’t hold all the power — the people do too.
We have the power to shape our future and protect the rights so many others bled and died for. Let this be the moment in history where we stop fighting for democracy and start embodying it. In our social networks. In our workplace, our schools, our movements, and our homes. And of course, in our government offices, voting booths, and election halls. We owe it to ourselves to not let this be where the fight for our democracy ends, but rather where it changes course and evolves into a true movement to reclaim our collective future.
Evan Milligan is the Executive Director of Alabama Forward.
