Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Voting Protections for Communities of Color

 Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Voting Protections for Communities of Color  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On October 15, civil rights groups, including Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC), rallied at the steps of the Supreme Court as arguments began for Louisiana v. Callais. The outcome of the case will decide the rights of Black Louisianans to have meaningful civic representation, and to be protected from discriminatory redistricting. However, the implications of the anticipated decision will affect communities of color nationwide. The gathered coalition of civil rights organizations represented the diversity of voters: communities of color, women, and religions.  

John C. Yang, President and Executive Director of Advancing Justice – AAJC, addressed attendees on behalf of Asian American voters: 

 

“As the Supreme Court hears the oral argument of Louisiana v. Callais, we know that this fight is about more than one single case. From curtailing our ability to elect candidates of choice to language access and mail-in voting, we are witnessing a coordinated assault on our hard-won protections under the Voting Rights Act. But we know from history that we are stronger when we stand together to build a fair and equitable society for all.    

 

“As Asian Americans, our communities have benefited from the struggles of African American civil rights trailblazers like Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, Fannie Lou Hamer, and others who paved the way for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Asian Americans, too, stood side-by-side with civil rights leaders to demand protections for all communities of color. As we watch the hard-won protections of the Voting Rights Act under siege, we as Asian Americans are reminded that for much of our history in this country, our political voice was also silenced. For decades, laws barring Asians from immigrating to the U.S., becoming naturalized citizens, and even testifying in court prevented our communities from real participation in the democratic process. Without the Voting Rights Act, Asian Americans would still be a silenced minority, disenfranchised by literacy tests and language barriers.    

 

“Today, we stand united to say: we won’t go back. We will move forward together—not only to defend our hard-won voting rights but to expand them. Today, we may still be seen as perpetual foreigners. But the ballot box is how we assert our place in America. That is a right we will continue to fight for, not just for Asian Americans but for all our communities.”