Rallies in Bay Area for Voting Rights

Photos: Leon Kunstenaar / Pro Bono Photo

Statement from Indivisible and supporting groups:

Oakland, CA — Indivisible East Bay (IEB), Indivisible SF and other grassroots groups are rallying on July 7th at Frank Ogawa Plaza as part of the nationwide Deadline for Democracy campaign. As of July 7, over 370 people are signed up to attend. We call on Congress to immediately amend the filibuster so they can pass the For the People Act and ensure the equal freedom to vote for all Americans. We’ll be calling on Senator Feinstein to publicly acknowledge that our democracy is in danger and do everything in her power to help pass S. 1, by supporting, if necessary, filibuster reform or abolition. !

“There are huge warning signs that our democracy is vulnerable to collapse and Congress must respond to this crisis. The For the People Act is an essential first step to protecting our freedom to vote against anti-democracy threats. We’re long overdue for national standards in voting where all Americans can participate in choosing our leaders,” said Charlotte McGoldrick of IEB.!

The late afternoon rally in Oakland's Frank Ogawa Plaza featured assorted banners and signs. Attendees dressed in grey and bright colors narrated “headlines from two futures” that narrated the consequences of passing and failing to pass the For the People Act. Speakers were:

• Elisha Crader, Nor Cal Organizer from Working Families Party
• Bruce Hartford, 1960s Field Organizer for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• Queen Jackson, grassroots leader with Community Change Action and MoveOn
• Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City Council Member-at-Large and Vice Mayor
• Janani Ramachandran, social justice lawyer and CA State Assembly candidate

See all high resolution photos here.