Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester Could Make History as First Two Black Women to Serve Simultaneously in U.S. Senate
Written by Black Hot Fire Network on October 18, 2024
Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world—with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment!
This week’s Weekend Reading features Indigenous People’s Day, the New York Equal Rights Amendment, fostering trust in a time of misinformation, Angela Alsobrooks’ and Lisa Blunt Rochester’s campaigns, calls for increased women’s representation in the Sri Lankan parliament, and more.
Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester Could Make History as the First Two Black Women to Serve Simultaneously in the U.S. Senate
Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester, two Black women running for the U.S. Senate, reflected on their shared journeys and friendship in a recent article in Elle. Angela Alsobrooks is running for Senate in Maryland, while Lisa Blunt Rochester seeks reelection in Delaware. If both win their respective elections, it will mark the first time two Black women serve in the Senate simultaneously.
Alsobrooks and Blunt Rochester discussed the unique challenges that Black women face in politics, including isolation, microaggressions, and fundraising difficulties. Check out our Breaking Barriers for Black Women Candidates Brief to learn about solutions to these barriers.
Madison Feller from Elle reports:
“There’s my sister senator,” Angela Alsobrooks says as she pops onto the Zoom screen and immediately fixes her eyes on fellow politician Lisa Blunt Rochester, who’s dressed in a shamrock suit and a simple pearl necklace. “I like the green…”
Blunt Rochester, Delaware’s sole congresswoman, is running for the U.S. Senate. The state is solidly blue, so she’s almost certain to win come November, making her just the fourth Black woman to serve in the Senate. The first Black woman to ever do it was Carol Moseley Braun, who was elected in 1992; the second is currently a candidate for president; and the third is Sen. Laphonza Butler, who’s decided to leave Congress at the end of this term.
Alsobrooks, Prince George’s County executive, is also running for a U.S. Senate seat in her home state of Maryland. After surviving a brutal primary where she defeated a self-funded opponent who spent more than $60 million on the race, Alsobrooks is now up against the popular former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races. If Alsobrooks also wins, it will be the first time two Black women have ever been in the U.S. Senate at the same time—a staggering fact that highlights the historic lack of diversity in the 100-person body.
Preparing to Vote
There are only 17 days until the general election! Have you made your plan to vote yet? Each state has its own unique registration deadlines, early voting policies, ID requirements, and, of course, ballots so be sure to check on the rules and regulations in your community. Here are some nonpartisan websites to check your voter information and ensure you are ready to make your voice heard:
Casting a ballot empowers us to shape our local communities and our future. RepresentWomen has created a voter’s guide highlighting key ballot measures related to some of the systemic reforms needed to increase the representation of women in elected office—the Washington Post endorsed all the ballot measures we support in a strong editorial last week.
Join Bipartisan Leaders for the Declaration of Sentiments Virtual Launch: Thursday, Oct. 24
Our democracy is stronger when elected and appointed officials reflect the populations they serve. Next Thursday, Oct. 24, from 2-3 p.m. ET, we are hosting a 21st Century Seneca Falls Virtual Town Hall featuring a bipartisan group of women speaking on the need for a more representative government:
While women in the United States have made significant political gains in recent years, we have not yet reached gender parity. During this virtual town hall, we will bring the pioneering spirit of the original Seneca Falls Convention into the twenty-first century with a new Declaration of Sentiments and discussion on policies that benefit women seeking elected office. Please join us: RSVP here.
We asked prospective attendees what they are most excited about regarding our 21st Century Seneca Falls Virtual Town Hall. Here are your answers in a lovely word cloud:
Hear from women leaders, elected officials and advocates as well as attendees! The town hall will be a space to share your thoughts on women’s representation in American politics. What are you most excited about? Let us know with this ranked-choice voting poll.
Expanding Voting Rights to Indigenous Americans
Indigenous Americans were first granted the right to vote in 1924. One hundred years later, communities across the nation are still facing systemic problems to ensure that Indigenous people have equal access to the ballot box. New Mexico, which received a B on this year’s Gender Parity Index, is implementing several reforms to assist communities under its 2023 Native American Voting Rights Act.
Morgan Lee writes in the Associated Press:
New Mexico is trying something new — a test run of sorts for many new and contested provisions that are part of the state’s Native American Voting Rights Act that was passed last year. The measure promises tribal communities a greater voice in how and where they can vote, even opening the possibility that tribal offices can be designated as a street address for remote households that have none…
The state’s new voting rights legislation for Native Americans provides new tools for tribal communities to request convenient on-reservation voting sites and secure ballot deposit boxes with consultation requirements for county clerks and an appeals process.
Visit our allies, Advance Native Political Leadership, to explore data-driven campaign methods or attend an upcoming training on advancing indigenous representation in politics.
Getting Election Information From Trusted Sources Online
Election officials are on the front lines of defending democracy. Their posts on social media and interviews often serve as the first point of contact for voters seeking crucial election information, such as how to find their polling place. Unfortunately, these often nonpartisan individuals have become targets for hate speech, doxxing, misinformation, and disinformation. It is crucial voters not only get their information from trusted sources, but support the work of everyday individuals who make that information easy to share.
Thessalia Merivaki writes in Democracy Takes:
This cycle, we focus our tracking efforts on documenting the various ways election officials build trust by investing in their communities: organizing events with local partners, conducting outreach to under-served communities, engaging in information sharing with other state officials and government agencies, and embracing a public-facing role that may make them a target.
The bottom line? Election officials are playing a critical role in combating misinformation and building a resilient election ecosystem—one social media post at a time. If you care about the future of democracy, these efforts deserve attention and support. In our view, investing in election officials’ communication work is an investment in building public trust in our elections.
New York State Ballot to Feature Groundbreaking Legislation with Proposition 1: The Equal Rights Amendment
The New York state Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) will appear as Proposition 1 on the ballot this November.
New York’s ERA would significantly expand anti-discrimination protections in the state constitution. If passed, it will prohibit discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and more. This amendment would make New York’s equality laws the most inclusive in the U.S., combatting structural inequalities and preventing setbacks in the pursuit of gender equality.
The ERA Project explained:
The New York ERA allows for a modern approach to equality that addresses the impacts of intersectional discrimination. New York’s proposed ERA includes a wide range of people who experience discrimination. New York’s legislature expressed an intention for New York’s Constitution to adopt a “modern vision of equality” and recognize that “many individuals are themselves members of numerous communities, identities and protected classes, and true equality and justice demand protections that recognize the interconnected nature of discrimination.”
This awareness of “interconnected” discrimination improves on the current framework that ranks and silos individual forms of discrimination. Instead of addressing either racial discrimination or sex discrimination, an intersectional approach to equality addresses the compounding effects of both.
Under the New York ERA, substantive equality measures could dismantle existing inequalities and transform the equality landscape for the better. This will distinguish New York constitutional law from the “neutral” approach to equality developed under the federal Constitution where policies intended to remedy existing discrimination are struck down as unconstitutional discrimination if they classify on the basis of protected identifiers, like race and sex. Instead, the legislature approved the New York ERA to guarantee “the validity of efforts to prevent or dismantle structural forms of inequality or discrimination against protected classes.”
Girl Up USA Director Priestley Johnson on Empowering Young Girls Through Action and Advocacy
To commemorate International Day of the Girl last week, research associate Marvelous Maeze interviewed Priestley Johnson, director of Girl Up USA at the United Nations Foundation. Girl Up USA connects 13- to 24-year-old girls “with the tools, skills and resources they need to take action for what they believe in.” Some of their recent initiatives include voter registration drives, shoreline cleanups, and using technology to drive community connections.
Priestley Johnson on the challenges girls face today:
In a post-COVID world where technology interactions have increased isolation, many girls teeter between isolation and the pressure to perform.
The best two qualities of this generation of Girl Up leaders are: 1.) They Care, and 2.) They want to accomplish a lot. America’s youth are at the center of advocating for meaningful social change, and Girl Up USA is here to scale their impact. Most importantly, we are here to create community, nationally and globally, increasing collaborative power.
Sisterhood among women has the powerful legacy of driving social change, amplifying voices, and fostering resilience. Figures like Coretta Scott King and Rosa Parks, along with organizations such as the National Council of Negro Women, created networks of support to fight for racial equality and justice during the Civil Rights Movement. Founded by Tarana Burke, the #MeToo Movement showcased how women could unite to confront sexual harassment and assault, foster solidarity, and heal. The Women’s March was a global movement that united women and demonstrated the immense power of collective action. And, Black Girl Magic is a cultural movement celebrating the achievements of Black women, countering a narrative that, not only, we should not be overlooked, but that, in fact, we are Magic.
Community is Girl Up’s superpower. After 13 years of growing Girl Up’s global community of changemakers, its reach continues to rise, fostering support, understanding, and authenticity to girls everywhere. Our Girl Up leaders resist isolation to shape the movements that will determine our collective future.
Rising Movement in Sri Lanka Demands 50 Percent Women’s Representation in Politics
A new initiative in Sri Lanka is focused on urging President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to ensure that at least 50 percent of all parliamentary nominations are women. The initiative, signed by 330 people, calls for reforms to guarantee women’s involvement in shaping the country’s political future.
Our research finds that gender quotas, if properly enforced, can effectively accelerate progress towards gender balance in politics.
Check out the full news segment on WION News:
A growing movement in Sri Lanka is calling for at least 50% female representation in politics, advocating for greater gender equality and stronger voices for women in decision-making roles. Activists are urging reforms to ensure women’s participation in shaping the nation’s political future.
Up next:
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