Dear POWER Interfaith community,
The prophet Micah reminds us that we are required to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. But there is no humility, no mercy, and certainly no justice in the latest decision handed down by the Roberts Court.
By stripping away the final protections of the Voting Rights Act, the U.S. Supreme Court has once again betrayed the core promise of our democracy. This is a calculated effort to lock in power for the few by silencing the many – a direct assault on the dignity and agency of Black and brown people, whose votes are being treated as obstacles to be removed rather than the sacred foundation of our society.
In a true democracy, the people choose their leaders. But with this ruling, the Supreme Court is handing politicians the power to pick their voters, opening the door for officials to eliminate Black and Latino electoral districts across the country and ensuring that billionaire backers and extremist interests control our outcomes before a single ballot is even cast.
As people of faith, we know that while a just system courts the will of the people, an authoritarian spirit seeks to exclude it.
But beloved, we refuse to be moved by the winds of despair.
Our work has always been about the ‘many’ defeating the ‘money.’ The ballot box is a site of resistance and a tool for our collective liberation. This decision does not weaken our resolve; it clarifies our mission.
To our local, state, and federal officials, you have a moral and civic obligation to protect the voting power of every citizen, regardless of their zip code or the color of their skin.
To our neighbors: Don’t be misled into complacency. We cannot treat our upcoming elections as “business as usual” while the ground’s being cut from beneath us. We must organize with a grit and determination that matches the urgency of this moment. POWER Interfaith will continue to lead the charge in civic engagement, voter registration, and community protection. We will recruit, organize, and protect one another.
Join us. Step into this moment.
- Commit to having a voting plan in place for Pennsylvania’s Primary Election on May 19 (polls are open from 7am – 8pm). If you’re not registered, do so by May 4. If you need a mail-in or absentee ballot, request it by May 12.
- Don’t stop there. Reach at least 10 people in your circle to make sure they’re registered and ready with a plan to vote. That’s how we organize and protect our vote.
We’ll be following up soon with more ways to get involved on the ground in Pennsylvania in the coming weeks.
The Supreme Court may try to shift the rules to favor the powerful, but they forget one thing: power belongs to the people, and the march toward justice cannot be halted by a gavel. We will not be silenced.
In the fight,
Rev. Dr. Gregory Edwards
Executive Director
POWER Interfaith
