November 3rd is approaching us fairly quickly… What does this mean for us? What does this mean for the BIPOC community? It means that we need to prepare ourselves in all ways possible for this upcoming election. Preparation includes registering to vote, checking to make sure you are registered to vote, looking into the candidates, understanding that you are voting for more than just the president, requesting an absentee ballot––if you plan to vote by mail––and engaging with any information that will make you a more informed voter. 

I wanted to let y’all in on the perfect opportunity to learn about why the Black vote matters, how voter suppression impacts our community and what is at stake––other than the presidential seat–– during this election. My sister, Miriam Lacroix, is hosting a Black Legal Wellness Forum on October 9th at 7pm! This Forum will not only provide you with the information I mentioned above but insight from elected officials, grass root organizers and other professionals about their experiences with elections. This is truly an event you do not want to miss out on! If you are a little lost amidst this election process, that is totally okay! Come learn and engage at the Black Legal Wellness Forum… I know this election may feel extremely disappointing to some… well to a lot of us. I definitely understand and feel the same way. But, we have to go out and make the very best decision on November 3rd. 

You can register for the forum at: www.blacklegalwellness.com 

Now, let’s really get into why voting matters… especially as a person of color. It is extremely important to get individuals in office that care about protecting and uplifting our communities. I don’t know about y’all but in the past four years I have seen a white man hold the highest office in the U.S and religiously mock the Black community. Our current president has stated that he has done more for the Black community than any other president since President Lincoln. Hmm… when? Unemployment rates for the Black community have been on a steady decline since President Obama was in office. Due to COVID-19, Black unemployment actually rose which is expected because the Black community is disproportionately affected by the illness. The poverty rate for the Black community has also been declining since President Obama was in office and has continued through Trump’s presidency. A lot of what Trump has “done for us” was not necessarily intentional but more by chance. President Trump has also claimed that white privilege does not exist and had no opinion on whether or not racial disparities existed in law enforcement. If the leader of our country refuses to acknowledge the leverage white communities have over black communities due to institutionalized racism, how will Black people ever receive equitable treatment in the workplace, healthcare system, and justice system etc.? His blatant obliviousness towards this country racist core gaslights and invalidates the Black experience. Essentially, he is ignoring our plight and condoning the injustices that we fall victims to. 

Also, after Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing, our president was quick to replace her with a conservative, Amy Coney Barrett. Here are the issues with this: 

1. This would make the majority of the supreme court conservative (6:3). A predominantly conservative supreme court poses threats to liberal policies. The courts shifting from 5:4 to 6:3 will make it extremely difficult to “meet in the middle”. The courts will ultimately be swayed to one side which will impact many issues like gun control, and abortion etc. 

2. President Obama’s supreme court nominee in 2016 was blocked by Mitch McConnell because McConnell wanted to give the people a “voice” and allow the next president to appoint the next supreme court justice. It’s interesting that President Trump attempted to appoint a supreme court justice in his final days of presidency but Mitch McConnell responded differently. McConnell stated that the Senate had more than enough time to process Trump’s nomination (hypocrisy at its finest)… Both Obama and Trump attempted the same course of action but Obama was denied while Trump is in the process of getting approval. 

With all of this being said, who we elect will really impact how we are treated systematically. I spoke more about Trump in this post because of the recent news and just to establish the importance of choosing a candidate that has the ability to listen to the needs of the people. We have seen time and time again that our president is only focused on pushing his agenda. He has no intention of understanding our community and working towards making us feel protected in this country (he can’t even acknowledge our plight). Again, I don’t know about you but this has gone on for four years too long… Let’s make sure to do all we can to prepare for this election and make our way down to the polls November 3rd. 

P.S: Let me know if y’all want a post on any other candidate! Don’t forget to register to vote (deadline is October 9th) and register for the Black Legal Wellness Forum.

Stay safe and empowered, 

Love, 

The EBW