Advocates Rally in Roanoke for Voting Rights and Democracy on Shelby Anniversary

Media 06.16,15

ROANOKE— On Thursday, June 25, hundreds of concerned Americans will join civil rights and voting rights advocates in Roanoke, Virginia’s Elmwood Park to mark the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Shelby County v. Holder decision to gut the Voting Rights Act. Attendees will rally to defend the right to vote and to support a restoration of the Voting Rights Act. The rally will be attended by a large contingent of Roanoke-area residents who will be joined by buses and vans from Richmond and Tidewater, Virginia, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C. 

Quote from Wade Henderson, President and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights:
“In this 50th anniversary year of the Voting Rights Act, voters are more vulnerable to discrimination than at any time since the law was first passed in 1965. Congressional leadership has yet to act on restoring the law and Rep. Bob Goodlatte, who represents part of Roanoke and chairs the House Judiciary Committee, has yet to take action to protect voters from discrimination in Virginia and throughout the nation.

“Despite public outcry since the Shelby decision, Rep. Goodlatte has refused to even acknowledge widespread voting discrimination or to allow a hearing in his committee. Virginians currently live under racially gerrymandered districts; they understand that protecting voting rights for all means holding Congress and Rep. Goodlatte accountable for ignoring the responsibility to act.”

Participating organizations include the following national organizations alongside their state and local chapters: The Leadership Conference, Democracy Initiative, NAACP, NAACP Voter Fund, Communications Workers of America, A. Phillip Randolph Institute, Human Rights Campaign, Common Cause, Sierra Club, Asian Americans Advancing Justice—AAJC, the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, Japanese American Citizens League, LULAC, Bend the Arc Jewish Action, League of Women Voters, NALEO, AFT, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, National Black Justice Coalition, National Action Network, People for the American Way, AFL-CIO, National LGBTQ Task Force, SEIU, and others.

Media can RSVP to Scott Simpson at [email protected]. Members of the media from the DC, Richmond, Tidewater, areas are welcome to travel to Roanoke with rally participants.

More information is available at www.VRAforToday.org.

Rally Details
WHERE:  Elmwood Park in Roanoke, Virginia
WHEN: Thursday, June 25 – Pre-Rally Program begins at 12:00pm / Rally begins at 1:00pm            

Confirmed Speakers Include [List in Formation]:

  • Aaron Mair | @sierraclub
  • Arturo Vargas | @ArturoNALEO | @NALEO
  • Brenda Hale | @NAACP (Roanoke branch)
  • Cornell Brooks | @CornellWBrooks | @NAACP
  • Dana Jackson (Blue Ridge Independent Living Center – NCIL)
  • Dulce Elias | @VAOrganizing
  • Hector Sanchez | @Hesanche | @LCLAA
  • J. Walter Tejada | @ArlingtonVA (board member)
  • Javonte McNear | @VaYCDNAACP
  • Janaye Ingram | @Janaye_Ingram | @NationalAction
  • Kirk Jones (A. Philip Randolph Institute Central VA chapter)
  • Larry Cohen | @CWAUnion
  • Leslie Proll | @LeslieProll | @NAACP_LDF
  • Mara Keisling | @MaraKeisling | @TransEquality
  • Miles Rapoport | @MilesRapoport | @CommonCause
  • Priscilla Ouchida | @JACL_DC
  • Rabbi Kathy Cohen (Temple Emanuel, Roanoke)
  • Rabbi Michael Namath | @TheRAC
  • Rebecca Shankman | @LWVVA
  • Rev. Lennox Yearwood | @RevYearwood | @HipHopCaucus
  • Rev. Leslie Watson Malachi | @peoplefor
  • Rev. Sylvia Ball | @MSylviaBall
  • Rev. William Barber | @ncnaacp
  • Rocio Saenz | @SEIU_Saenz | @SEIU
  • Samer Khalaf | @SamerKhalaf | @adctweets
  • Sindy Benavides | @SindyBenavides | @LULAC
  • Stosh Cotler | @bend_thearc
  • Tanya Clay House | @Tclayhouse4 | @LawyersComm
  • Tefere Gebre | @Tefere_Gebre | @AFLCIO
  • Terry Ao Minnis | @AAAJ_AAJC
  • Tom Calhoun (Norfolk Federation of Teachers)
  • Wade Henderson | @Wade4Justice | @civilrightsorg
  • Wornie Reed | @ACLUVA